San Juan County Conservation Land Bank

Volunteer Event | Trail Construction
2024-05-07 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
photo credit: Robin Donnelly
Be a part of San Juan Island history! Join Land Bank staff in creating San Juan Island’s newest trail connection.
Email Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org to learn more or volunteer on the project.

Volunteer Event | Firewood Donation Work Party
2024-05-05 10:00 - 14:00
Lend Land Bank staff a helping hand loading wood into trucks for delivery to the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center (Family Resource Center).
Over the last two years, staff has been working on an eco-cultural restoration project on Mount Grant focused on forest thinning (Click Here to learn more about the restoration project) which resulted in an abundance of felled trees, none of which were suitable for stewardship projects, but would make great firewood! The Land Bank has partnered with the Family Resource Center for a firewood donation to their Island Neighbors Program.
We’ll meet at Land Bank’s main office at 328 Caines Street, Friday Harbor and carpool from there. Bring tough gloves, a strong back, and a smile.
RSVP to Tanja at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or call 360-378-4402.

CANCELLED::Island Marble Butterfly Habitat Tour at the Spit at Fisherman Bay Preserves
2024-05-04 10:30 - 12:00
For those who have been following the Island Marble Butterfly, or the Land Bank’s Moveable Feast project, this event is for you!

Join Land Bank staff and partners at the Spit at Fisherman Bay Preserves to learn about Island Marble Butterfly habitat being created on the preserve, as well as this rare animal’s remarkable life history. After viewing the Land Bank’s Moveable Feast habitat plot, we will walk out to the sand dunes to look at native nectar and host plants important to the butterfly. Although Island Marbles are not currently found on Lopez, many partners are working together in hopes of bringing them back to the island in coming years. Learn how you can pitch in to help!

Contact Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org for more information.

Volunteer Event | Trail Construction
2024-05-04 10:00 - 15:00
Be a part of San Juan Island history! Join Land Bank staff in creating San Juan Island’s newest trail connection.
Email Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org to learn more or volunteer on the project.

North Shore Property Guided Tour
2024-05-03 12:00 - 13:30, 2024-04-13 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-04-05 12:00 - 13:30
Land Bank staff will lead two tours per month this fall. Click here to sign up for a scheduled tour. We will adjust the schedule as necessary based on demand. Please note: due to limited parking, tours will be capped at 10 vehicles. Carpooling and cycling encouraged.
The property is surrounded by private residences. This includes private beaches to the east and west and it is essential that the Land Bank and the public respect their privacy and property rights. We understand that there is strong community interest in this property, and we seek your support and cooperation while we plan for and prepare it for opening.

Lawn Be Gone: How to Make a Wildflower Meadow
2024-05-01 17:00 - 18:00, 2024-04-24 17:00 - 18:00
Have you ever dreamed of replacing your lawn with a patch of native wildflowers? This 1-hour workshop will teach you how. Eliza Habegger will walk you through the process by which the Land Bank has converted 500 square feet of lawn into a meadow of 30 plant species, all native to the San Juans.
We’ll discuss site preparation, timing, sourcing seeds and plants, maintenance, and where to go for more information.
RSVP to tanjaw@sjclandbank.org. Limited to 15 participants. Workshop is in-person at the Land Bank office in Friday Harbor.

Volunteer Event | Wednesday Workparty at Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
2024-05-01 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-04-03 10:00 - 13:00
Help steward Watmough Preserve addition! Take in the amazing views and learn about the preserve’s history while engaging in seasonal stewardship tasks with Land Bank staff.
Contact Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org for more information.

Hands-On Trail Building Workshop
2024-04-28 10:00 - 15:00
Get your hands dirty as we delve into the art and science of trail design with Land Bank Preserve Steward Doug McCutchen! In this one-day, hands-on workshop learn the fundamentals of trail design, construction, and maintenance while helping build a NEW public nature trail on San Juan Island! Whether you’re a seasoned trail builder or a novice enthusiast, this interactive event promises to deepen your understanding and appreciation for the trails we love.
Space is limited – email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org to register.

Partner Event | Know Your Island Walk - Beaver Dam Analog Restoration Tour at Zylstra Lake Preserve
2024-04-27 10:00 - 12:00
Zylstra Lake Preserve is the featured monthly walk for the San Juan Island Trails Committee Know Your Island Walk series.
Join Land Bank field assistant, Shauna Barrows, for a walk-and-talk around Zylstra Lake Preserve. Tour the Land Bank’s restoration project at Emmerling Creek along the east loop trail while completing a ramble around the full Zylstra Lake loop.
Emmerling Creek is a small tributary flowing west into Zylstra Lake. In an effort to improve water quality and promote plant biodiversity, your Conservation Land Bank has embarked on a restoration project incorporating beaver dam analogs*, mycoremediation*, and native plantings.
The walk-and-talk will begin at the Zylstra parking lot, include a tour of the Emmerling site, and a walk around the full Zylstra Lake loop. Please bring your questions, curiosities, water and snacks!
Limited parking available – carpooling is encouraged. For more information contact Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or call 360-378-4402.
*Not familiar with the terms beaver dam analogs and mycoremediation? The informational links below are a good jumping off point.
Beaver Dam Analogs
Mycoremediation

Embrace the Roots of our Ecosystem: A Guided Tour of the Salish Seeds Project Nursery
2024-04-21 13:00 - 15:00
Join Salish Seeds Project nursery manager, Eliza Habegger, for a tour of the Salish Seeds Project nursery located at the San Juan Preservation Trust’s Red Mill Farm on San Juan Island.
Eliza will share the challenges and rewards of growing our local wildflowers in habitats ranging from a pot on the deck, to a restoration project. Learn about the essential role of native seeds in ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation and techniques used for seed collection, storage, and propagation.
Email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org to register for one of the two tour timeslots or for more information.
Tour One: 1pm to 2pm
Tour Two: 2pm to 3pm

Volunteer Event | Planet vs. Plastics! The Great Islands Clean-Up
2024-04-20 10:00 - 16:00
Join your fellow islanders for the 2024 Spring Great Islands Clean-Up!
This year, we rally behind the EARTHDAY.org theme Planet vs. Plastics!
Check out the information below for island-specific details.
Orcas:
Pick-up bags, vests and grabbers starting Monday, April 15 at The Exchange or on April 20 at the Village Green in Eastsound starting at 10am.
**Land Bank Specific Site: Crescent Beach Preserve with Tyler Goodman**
Collected trash can be dropped off the day of the event between 2pm -3pm at the Village Green.
Participants can stop by Island Hoppin’ Brewery for a free pint starting at 4pm!
Contact Pete Moe for more info. pete@exchangeorcas.org | 360-376-4089
San Juan:
Meet at 10am at the San Juan Island Brewing Co. parking lot (410 A St., Friday Harbor) on April 20 to pick up trash collection equipment and receive beach and roadway assignments. Coffee and goodies will be provided by Lautenbach Recycling to fuel your efforts (bring your own coffee cup, please)!
**Land Bank Specific Site: Deadman Bay Preserve with Jacob Wagner**
Drop off your collected trash at the same location by 2pm.

After-party at San Juan Island Brewing Co., including:

Beer garden music by Adrian Xavier & Ska Island,
Mediterranean fare along with some grab and go items and baked goods available for purchase by Green Beat Kitchen,
$1 beers for clean-up participants,
T-shirt printing with Alchemy Art Center (bring a shirt to reuse!),
A raffle, and
The presentation of the Stewardship Network’s Good Steward Awards.

The Adrian Xavier & Ska Island experience is an exhilarating new collaboration between Seattle’s “Crown Prince of Reggae” and the mighty Ska Island band, a Skatalites tribute band formed by several recent ex-members of Bellingham’s legendary Yogoman Burning Band. The electrifying band backs up Adrian with powerful renditions of his original conscious reggae fusion music, while sprinkling in vintage Jamaican ska from the 60’s and 70’s.
Contact Katie Fleming for more info. katief@sanjuancountywa.gov |360-762-5821
Shaw:
Drop-off collected trash on April 20 from 3pm – 4 pm at the Shaw baseball field.
Call ahead for help with large or difficult-to-reach items, if you need ideas about where to look for trash, or if you need bags or gloves.
Contact Jennifer Woodbridge l outsidelanguage1@gmail.com | 360-378-7948 (call or text only, no voicemail)
Lopez Island:
Come to Lopez Village Park between 10am – 11am to pick up bags, vests, and grabbers. Coffee, tea, and fresh baked treats will be provided.
**Land Bank Specific Site: Fisherman Bay Spit Preserve with Amanda Wedow**
Participants on the south end can collect vests and grabbers at the Southend Store.
Drop off your collected trash between 12pm – 2pm at Lopez Solid Waste (2419 Fisherman Bay Rd.), follow signs to drop area.
Contact Sarah Reeves | sarahr@lopezsolidwaste.org

Monthly Commission Meeting
2024-04-19 08:30 - 11:15
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold their regular monthly meeting 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the Lopez Island Family Resource Center located at 23 Pear Tree Lane, Lopez Island. The public is invited to attend.
Click HERE to download the agenda (includes Zoom meeting link) and meeting materials.

Volunteer Event | Third Thursdays at The Salish Seeds Project
2024-04-18 09:00 - 12:00
You’re invited to join other native plant lovers at the Salish Seeds Project nursery on San Juan Island every third Thursday of the month, April – October. Tasks vary by the season, and can include weeding, seeding, thinning, transplanting, harvesting seed, spreading woodchips, pruning, and watering. Tools are provided, but please bring gloves, water, and anything else you may need for the morning. As an added bonus, volunteers can take home any “orphan” plants on hand.
The Salish Seeds Project is a joint program of the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust. Click here to learn more.
Registration is requested. R.S.V.P. to Tanja Williamson at 360-370-7655 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org .

San Juan Island Farmers Market
2024-04-06 09:30 - 13:00, 2024-03-02 09:30 - 13:00
Find us at the San Juan Island Farmers Market today along with San Juan County Noxious Weed Control Board.

CANCELLED: Volunteer Event | Wednesday Work Party at Zylstra Lake Preserve
2024-03-20 09:00 - 13:00
Spring is coming, time to brusha, brusha, brusha the Zylstra Lake trail loop. Help clear the path for walkers with field assistant, Jacob Wagner, and learn about recent habitat restoration and planting efforts at the preserve.
We’ll meet at Zylstra Lake Preserve parking area. Bring tough gloves, pruners, ear and eye protection, hand saws, and loppers if you have them.
RSVP not required, but appreciated. For questions email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or call 360-378-4402.
MARCH 19 UPDATE: The March 20 Zylstra Lake work party has been cancelled.

Public Scoping Meeting on the Stewardship and Management Plan for Watmough BayPreserve
2024-03-19 16:00 - 18:00
Join the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank for a public scoping meeting and help shape the Watmough Bay Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan (SMP), which includes the Watmough addition (aka “the Higgins Property”).
The meeting will take place from 4pm to 6pm at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts. The public is encouraged to help identify issues or concerns that should be addressed in the planning process.
Can’t make the meeting in person? Click here to view meeting materials. Written comments can be submitted by email to tanjaw@sjclandbank.org.

March Turtleback March Returns | Seasons of Turtleback Mountain Preserve Walk Series
2024-03-16 12:30 - 14:30
The 5 mile “Up and Over” hike on the San Juan County Land Bank’s Turtleback Mountain Preserve is back! Join staff for a walk, north to south, and learn about recent trail and stewardship projects while enjoying the early signs of spring on the mountain.
The hike begins promptly at 12:30pm at the South Trailhead parking area (Deer Harbor Rd./Wild Rose Lane) where hikers will catch a shuttle to the North Trailhead. Then it’s “up and over” the mountain on a 5 mile hike back to your car.
Be sure to dress for the weather, bring water/snacks and, most importantly, friends!
Pre-registration is required as space is limited. RSVP to Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org.

Monthly Commission Meeting
2024-03-15 08:30 - 11:15
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold their regular monthly meeting 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the San Juan Island Grange located at 152 First Street North. The public is invited to attend.
Click HERE to download the agenda (includes Zoom meeting link) and meeting materials.

Volunteer Event | Wednesday Work Party - Town to American Camp Trail
2024-03-13 09:00 - 13:00
Help staff brush the trail corridor and improve drainage problems along San Juan Island’s Town to American Camp trail.
We’ll meet at the Land Bank’s main office at 328 Caines Street, Friday Harbor and carpool from there. Bring tough gloves, pruners, ear and eye protection, hand saws, and loppers if you have them.
RSVP not required, but appreciated. For questions email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or call 360-378-4402.

Partner Event | Go Take a Hike at Spencer Spit Preserve
2024-03-09 10:00 - 12:30
The Land Bank is partnering with the Lopez Community Trails Network for their March Go Take a Hike! event exploring the newest Lopez Preserve: Spencer Spit Preserve.
Washington State Parks is honoring Billy Frank Junior’s birthday on March 9, 2024, by hosting a Discover Pass Free Day. This new trail is accessible only from Spencer Spit State Park’s existing trail system. This is an easy 4 mile hike with very little elevation gain or loss with views facing Swifts Bay and Flower Island.
Meet in the lower parking lot.
Please dress for the weather and bring water, snacks, or whatever else you need for a successful hike.

North Shore Guided Property Tour
2024-03-09 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-03-01 12:00 - 13:30

CANCELLED - Volunteer Event | Wednesday Workparty at Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
2024-03-06 10:00 - 13:00
Help steward Watmough Preserve addition! Take in the amazing views and learn about the preserve’s history while engaging in seasonal stewardship tasks with Land Bank staff. March focus is cutting back sweet brier rose.
Please bring gloves and pruners if you have them, and be sure to dress for the weather.
Contact Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org for more information.
MARCH 5 UPDATE: The March 6 Watmough Work Party has been cancelled due to illness.

Volunteer Event | Island Marble Butterfly Habitat Project at the Spit at Fisherman Bay Preserves
2024-03-02 10:00 - 12:00
Help is needed to prepare this year’s butterfly habitat plots at the Fisherman Bay Spit. Volunteers will assist stewardship staff in planting field mustard (Brassica rapa) and installing fencing around the plots.
The Island Marble Butterfly (Euchloe ausonides) is a rare, endemic butterfly. The US Fish and Wildlife Service listed the butterfly as an endangered species in 2020. Currently the only known population is located on San Juan Island. Public and private landowners are participating in recovery efforts to create new, suitable habitat for the butterfly. The Land Bank implemented a “Moveable Feast” habitat project at three of its preserves, two on San Juan and one at the Fisherman Bay Spit on Lopez.
Meet at parking lot at the end of Chestnut Lane. Please bring gloves. Tools will be provided.
RSVPs appreciated. Contact Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org for more information.
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Deadline for Agricultural Lease Request for Proposals
2024-02-29
