latest news

Happy Giving Tuesday! Giving Tuesday reminds and encourages us all to give back and do good in our communities. Get involved, take action, and support the causes that matter to you! If you are inspired to protect what you love in the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea, please help Friends of the San ... read more

You might have missed our annual meeting, “An Evening in the Islands with Friends,” so we are here to tell you all about it! The event included project headlines from program directors, special community member cameos, and some fun mixology with The Barnacle on Orcas. We celebrated our impact in 2020 and shared our big ... read more

Please join us from the comfort of your home on November 15th at 5:30pm for the Annual Meeting of Friends of the San Juans. Immerse yourself, virtually, in the beauty of our islands, hear about impactful work that is happening today, and learn how you can protect the San Juan Islands in 2021. Register for the FriendsAnnual Meeting HERE! We will be sharing what ... read more

Ballots for the 2020 election should be in your mailbox any time now. At times like this, when all eyes are on the national elections, it can be easy to forget that it’s our local elections that have a bigger impact on our day-to-day lives, in many ways. Friends of the San Juans’ staff and ... read more

The Environmental Systems class at Spring Street International School, with support from the Friday Harbor High Eco Club, held a Youth Forum for the San Juan County Council Candidates on October 12th. The students asked the candidates questions about how they will address environmental issues such as climate change, waste reduction, and Southern Resident orca ... read more

Friends is excited to welcome Brent Lyles as incoming Executive Director. He officially starts with us on September 16. Brent comes to Friends with over 20 years of experience leading environmental protection and education efforts, most recently consulting with nonprofit organizations in Austin, Texas. Prior to consulting, he successfully led two Texas river conservation organizations, ... read more

Healthy Seas Program: Find out more about the Friends of the San Juans Healthy Seas program with our Marine Protection and Policy Director, Lovel Pratt. Virtual Reality Immersive Education: Learn more about Friends of the San Juans’ cutting edge virtual reality immersive education program during this Q & A with Jess Newley, our Marine Program ... read more

My name is Kaia, and I’m a high school sophomore currently interning at Friends of the San Juans. Some of you may know my grandpa, San Olson, current board member, past board president, and longtime resident of Lopez Island. It is largely because of my grandpa that I have the chance to write this letter ... read more

We were joined by Kevin Campion of Deep Green Wilderness on July 23 to hear about Kevin and his team’s expeditions to film the North Pacific right whale. The North Pacific Right Whale: Why You Should Care about the World’s Rarest Whale, Zoom Presentation with Kevin Campion Click here to watch the recording. You’ll learn about what ... read more

Are you experiencing travel withdrawal after months of lockdown and cancelled travel plans? Peter Cavanagh – photographer, filmmaker, former NASA researcher, bird expert, and Lopezian – is here to help! Peter will guide you on a virtual photographic journey to see some of the amazing birds he has encountered on his world travels. Click here ... read more