What’s Old is New Again 

Have you noticed the recent change in our logo? We re-incorporated the word conservation. Our full name, as defined in the County ordinance, is the Citizen’s Conservation Land Bank. Over the years, we became known simply as the Land Bank. However, land banks in other parts of the country tend to deal with dilapidated buildings within developed areas, and with the influx of new community members, we felt the timing was ripe to reclaim our roots and reemphasize our purpose: the conservation of natural areas within San Juan County.

 

 

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246 Acres Protected

A core component of the Conservation Land Bank’s acquisition strategy is to acquire properties adjacent to other protected areas. This strategy can help uphold the ecological function and integrity of an area by expanding the extent of contiguous forests, wetlands or stream corridors and it often also provides for increased public access. All four of this year’s acquisitions expanded protected areas and several also secured opportunities for low-impact recreation.

 

Beaverton Marsh Trail Corridor: The Barker family continue to build upon their conservation legacy with the gift of this 5-acre property. Strategically located, the donated parcel connects to Island Rec’s John O. Linde Park to Beaverton Marsh Preserve and will provide walkable access from Town to the Preserve’s conifer forests and large wetland complex.

 

 

 

Cady Mountain Addition: This 142-acre property expands the high-quality corridor of wildflower meadows and oak woodlands found within central San Juan Island. It is also a key parcel in providing a future trail connection from the Cady Mountain Preserve to the National Historic Park’s English Camp.

 

 

Lopez Hill Addition: These 75 acres of forestland, purchased from the Lopez Community Land Trust, expands the Preserve, protects one of the largest Western red cedars on the island, and provides an opportunity to lengthen the trail system. The final phase of this collaborative project will be the purchase of a conservation easement by the San Juan Preservation Trust (SJPT).

 

 

 

Richardson Marsh: Your Conservation Land Bank joined the SJPT’s ongoing efforts to protect this freshwater marsh by purchasing 24 acres along the eastern edge. The upland area along Richardson Road provides Lopezians with a scenic overlook to scan the wetland for wildlife.

 

 

 

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Community Engagement

The Land Bank strives to be accessible and responsive, and to make positive contributions — both ecologically and socially — to the community. We seek to share information about our own endeavors as well as inform our understanding of what people want for this area, now and for the generations to come. This year, often prompted by inspiring collaboratives, we engaged in several new outreach initiatives.

  Sowing Seeds of Hope: The Salish Seeds Project partnered with SAFE San Juans (SAFE) during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Their creative alliance bundled wildflower seeds, in artful packets designed to extend compassion, invoke hope, and offer help to survivors of abuse, and distributed them across the County. The restorative act of sowing native seeds exemplifies growth and healing, and the cooperative effort illuminates that, as one design imparted, Hope Grows with Help.

 

 

Pol.is Survey: Kaj Litch, a student at Spring Street International School, approached the Land Bank with an internship proposal. He wanted to employ the digital tool Po.lis to acquire and interpret community input, gauge public opinion, and identify consensus among controversial questions. Over one month, 400 community members engaged in this ‘participatory democracy project.’ The results are captured in Kaj’s final report and can be viewed here.

 

Community Conversation Series: The Land Bank hosted four online forums. Held in the evenings to maximize attendance, these meetings involved short presentations on the acquisition process as well as island-specific projects, and then afforded open time for the public to ask questions of staff and Commissioners. The series was met with much enthusiasm from participants, generated great discussions, and will be continued into the future.

 

 

Forest Health Demo Projects: In partnership with the SJPT, the Conservation District and Rainshadow Consulting, three demonstration projects are designed for the southern slopes of Turtleback Mountain Preserve. Implementation activities aim to enhance forest health, expand habitat by increasing variability in forest composition and structure, and reduce wildfire severity. Community tours will be offered in 2022.

 

 

 

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With Gratitude

Thank you for reading. Thank you all for the generous contributions, of time and talent, that have helped us to extend our care for the County’s conservation lands. May the New Year bring you ample opportunities to sit, walk, and share in our abiding gratitude for the natural beauty that surrounds us.