climate change

In a groundbreaking step towards protecting the future of the San Juan Islands, the Samish Indian Nation and Friends of the San Juans are excited to announce that they have been awarded $499,000 as part of a transformative $73.6 million federal grant from NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge.   The two entities will be a part ... read more

What does Pride month have to do with environmental justice? Here at Friends, we are taking time during Pride month to examine our internal culture and how LGBTQ+ liberation intersects with environmentalism. If you would like to learn along with us, here are some resources: Recommended Readings: Pride Month, LGBTQ+ And The Environmental Movement Why ... read more

Contributed by Kaia Olson, grandaughter of Friends’ Board member, San Olson. As a young person, I can’t emphasize enough the significance of seeing older activists continue to advocate for environmental action. Your work truly embodies the proverb: “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”  Growing up with both ... read more

To those of you who joined us for our 2021 Annual Meeting – thank you! To those of you who missed last week’s event — if only you could have been there! But don’t worry, here’s a link to the recording! We witnessed compelling testimonials, gained insight during our engaging conversation with Lynda Mapes, and ... read more

As humans, we can manipulate and change our environment. In the last few centuries, we have abused this power, killing thousands of species, destroying entire ecosystems, and bringing the planet to the brink of irreversible, catastrophic climate change, and all that comes with it (such as widespread fires, extreme heat events, and increasingly powerful storms). ... read more

You know that students hold the power to create change — they are an electrified force. At Friends, Katie Fleming, our Community Engagement Director, embraces that energy. Katie is in her essence, electric! She lights up the classroom talking with students. She illuminates student potential on field trips to Olympia, as a conductor between local legislators ... read more

A few years ago, I was combing the beach of Barlow Bay on Lopez Island when I found a whelk shell that had washed out of a midden. This shell was easily ten times larger than the others I had often found dotting the beach, and I have never seen another whelk shell like it. ... read more

Check out the first issue of our new e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! You’ll learn about how you can help salmon and orca with your shoreline property, get an update on San Juan County’s Comp Plan progress, hear about what experiences from the pandemic we can apply to the climate crisis, get the first look at our ... read more

For many decades, working on behalf of and with our members, Friends of the San Juans has been diligently engaging in updates to San Juan County’s official Comprehensive Plan. Known as the “Comp Plan,” it guides how our community will look in the future. The County’s Comp Plan sets goals and priorities that guide the ... read more