San Juan County Conservation Land Bank

Volunteer Event | First Friday Fieldwork at Turtleback Mountain Preserve
2023-11-03 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-10-06 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Help Steward Your Conservation Land Bank’s Turtleback Mountain Preserve!
Volunteer alongside Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust staff as we take advantage of fall’s cooler days. Activities include planting Garry oak acorns and native wildflowers, performing trail maintenance, and invasive plant control.
Be sure to dress for the weather and bring snacks/water if needed.
We’ll meet at the South Turtleback Mountain Preserve parking area and work from 9am to Noon.
RSVP to Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or phone 360-378-4402.

Partner Event | Know Your Island Walk at Beaverton Marsh Preserve
2023-10-28 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Beaverton Mash Preserve is the featured monthly walk for the San Juan Island Trails Committee Know Your Island Walk series.
Join Land Bank staff for an easy stroll around the preserve’s 2.5 (ish) loop. Engage your quads and your brain while learning about the site’s history and trails planning, as well as some fun plant identification. It’s also a great opportunity to view San Juan’s fall foliage across the marsh.
Preserve parking is limited to 10 cars. Please register with Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or tanjaw@sjclandbank.org.

Monthly Commission Meeting
2023-10-20 08:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold an extended 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 | Third Thursdays at Salish Seeds Project
2023-10-19 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
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.
October’s tasks will include weeding and fall clean-up in the nursery and in the shed making some seed packets.
Registration is required. R.S.V.P. to Tanja Williamson at 360-370-7655 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org .

Guided Walk at Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
2023-10-17 10:00 - 11:30, 2023-10-04 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Conservation Land Bank staff for a guided walk at Watmough with a hike to the Land Bank’s addition to Watmough Bay Preserve.* Enjoy natural history highlights and learn about stewardship activities for the site.
Meet at Watmough Bay parking lot (outhouse available). Tour will depart on foot, be prepared to hike around 2-3 miles on variable terrain.
Group size will be limited to 15. Register with Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or call 360-378-4402.
Please carpool. Be sure to dress for the weather.
*Please note: the Watmough Addition is not yet open for public access at this time.

North Shore Property Guided Tour
2023-10-14 10:00 - 11:30, 2023-10-06 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
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.

Special Commission Meeting | Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
2023-10-06 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a special meeting to discuss and determine retaining Watmough Bay addition (formerly Higgins property) or recommending its resale to the Bureau of Land Management.
The meeting will be held at the San Juan County Parks and Fair Conference Room located at 849 Argyle Avenue, Friday Harbor. The meeting will also be available to attend via Zoom.

Partner Event | Fall Farm Tour at Coffelt Farm Preserve
2023-09-30 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Photo credit: Lum Farm LLC
Lum Farm at Coffelt Farm Preserve is offering tours and samples of their artisan products during this year’s Fall Farm Tours*, hosted by Island Grown in the San Juans, and your Conservation Land Bank will be on site to answer questions.
Please stop by our booth to learn more about our ag program and upcoming projects, or just say hello, before moving on to your next Orcas farm.
*Click here for a map and list of all participating Orcas farms.

2023 Native Wildflower Plant Sale Order Pick Up Day
2023-09-30 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Pick up locations for native wildflower plant orders placed during the September 12-17.
SAN JUAN ISLAND :: Salish Seeds Project nursery at Red Mill
LOPEZ ISLAND :: Sunset Builder’s Supply
ORCAS ISLAND :: Coffelt Farm
SHAW ISLAND :: Graham Preserve
WALDRON ISLAND :: Alden and Alana’s Place

Enjoy a New Trail this National Public Lands Day
2023-09-23 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD) with your Conservation Land Bank and Washington State Parks with a forest stroll along Lopez Island’s newest public trail – a 0.75-mile hiking trail through your Conservation Land Bank’s Spencer Spit Preserve. Staff will be onsite with maps and snacks and available to answer your questions. The NPLD event tent will be setup at the State Parks day use parking (above the beach trail and near the restrooms). Bonus – NPLD is one of the State Parks free days. No Discover Pass needed today.
Accessed through the existing Spencer Spit Parks trail system, this new public trail connects the Land Bank’s 18-acre Spencer Spit Preserve to Spencer Spit State Park.
Volunteers from the Lopez Community Trails Network and American Hiking Society built the trail over several days, alongside staff from the Land Bank and State Parks. Highlighting natural features such as a glacial erratic, the trail meanders through big leaf and Douglas maples, western red cedars, and large Douglas-firs. A short loop at the end rewards hikers with views of Flower Island from atop of shoreline bluff. Roundtrip hike from the State Parks entry is about 3.75 miles.
The trail is day-use and pedestrian access only, with trailheads located at the Spencer Spit State Park entrance and near day-use parking. The only access to the new trail is through Spencer Spit State Park. Vehicle parking is at the Park’s day use area or at the entry roundabout.
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank acquired the preserve in 2021 and it will be managed under an agreement with Washington State Parks.

Volunteer Event | Third Thursdays with The Salish Seeds Project
2023-09-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-08-17 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
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 required. R.S.V.P. to Tanja Williamson at 360-370-7655 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org .

Monthly Commission Meeting
2023-09-15 08:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
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, location to be determined. The public is invited to attend.
Click HERE to download the agenda (includes Zoom meeting link) and meeting materials.

Partner Event | Tour de Family Friday Harbor
2023-09-13 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Tour de Family Friday Harbor returns with a refreshed route! Gather your friends and family for the 6-mile adventure loop around Pear Point and Missing Mountain Roads. Your Conservation Land Bank will be on site with maps
Riders will start and end at Friday Harbor Elementary School. Click here to learn more and register for the event with Island Rec.
This free event is coordinated by San Juan County Health and Community Services and Island Rec.

2023 Fall Native Wildflower Plant Sale
2023-09-12 09:00 - 2023-09-17 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank hosts this yearly opportunity to buy plants native to San Juan County. Reserve your plants online September 12 – 17, and pick them up on Saturday, September 30 at designated locations on San Juan, Lopez, Orcas, Waldron, and Shaw Islands. Plants are produced by the Salish Seeds Project, a joint program of the Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust. Plants come in plant-able, fully biodegradable CowPots. This year’s sale also features some wonderful native bulbs provided by the San Juan County Master Gardener’s Foundation.

Special Commission Meeting | Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
2023-09-08 10:15 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Lopez – we want your input regarding future plans for Watmough Bay Preserve Addition (formerly the Higgins property). The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a special meeting 10:15am-12pm at the Lopez Island Family Resource Center. The meeting will also be available to attend via Zoom.
Meeting Materials:
Meeting Information Summary
Interim Management Plan (includes public comments and maps)
Ecological Assessment

Turtleback Mountain Preserve Tour | Upcoming Trail Changes
2023-09-06 17:30 - 18:30, 2023-09-01 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Orcas Preserve Steward, Peter Guillozet, for a tour of upcoming work areas along Turtleback Mountain trails.
Please meet at the South Entrance parking lot.

North Shore Property Guided Tour
2023-09-01 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Land Bank staff will lead three tours per month this spring and summer, and 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.

Guided Walk at Watmough Bay Preserve
2023-08-29 10:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Conservation Land Bank staff for a guided walk at Watmough with a hike to the Land Bank’s recent addition to Watmough Bay Preserve.* Enjoy natural history highlights and learn about stewardship activities for the site.
Meet at Watmough Bay parking lot (outhouse available). Tour will depart on foot, be prepared to hike around 2-3 miles on variable terrain.
Group size will be limited to 10. Register with Tanja Williamson at tanjaw@sjclandbank.org or call 360-378-4402.
Please carpool. Be sure to dress for the weather.
*Please note: the Watmough Addition is not yet open for public access at this time.

Monthly Commission Meeting
2023-08-18 08:30 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
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.

North Shore Property Guided Tour
2023-08-17 16:00 - 17:30, 2023-08-12 10:00 - 11:30, 2023-08-04 12:00 - 13:30 UTC
Land Bank staff will lead three tours per month this spring and summer. 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.

San Juan County Fair
2023-08-16 - 2023-08-19
Join us for the 2023 San Juan County Fair! Your Conservation Land Bank will be located in the Green Village, next to the Ag Tent, along with partner organizations Wolf Hollow, Friends of the San Juans, San Juan County Environmental Stewardship , The Whale Museum, San Juan Islands Conservation Corps, Salish Sea Sciences, San Juan Islands National Monument and Bureau of Land Management, and San Juan Island National Historical Park.
The Green Village and WSU Extension have put together four fun-filled days of demos, talks, and activities. Saturday, August 19th, features our own Eliza Habegger, nursery manager at the Salish Seeds Project. Click on the image for the full four day schedule.

Farmers Market
2023-08-05
Find us at the Farmers Market today!
Lopez Island | 10am to 2pm
Orcas Island | 10am to 2pm
San Juan Island | 9:30am to 1pm

Volunteer Event | Summer Weeding at Watmough Preserve Addition
2023-08-04 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join stewardship staff for a morning of volunteer land stewardship at the Watmough addition removing invasive weeds, primarily thistles!
Please bring bring thick gloves and buckets (if you have them) and water.
RSVP to Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or email tanjaw@sjclandbank.org for more information.
