Did you know that local, state, federal, and non-profit conservation land management agencies have a working group that helps coordinate and support each other’s work? The Land Bank helped establish the San Juan Islands Terrestrial Managers Group (TMG) with Land Bank Director, Lincoln Bormann, having served as chair since its inception. With the dispersed nature of the islands, and relatively small size of organizations, this group enables us to better care for these important places.
Last Sunday, Land Bank Steward, Doug McCutchen, and volunteers Steve Ulvi and Kari Koski, helped replace a sign on one of the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuges which blew down in heavy wind a few weeks ago. Land Bank staff noticed the sign down
on Low Island (just off of San Juan County Park) and coordinated the replacement with County Parks staff, after getting permission to access the island and repair the sign from US Fish and Wildlife. Refuge staff for the San Juans are based in Port Angeles, so a simple task like this would require significant time, logistics, and resources – especially in the winter.
With the exception of Turn Island and Matia Island, public access to these wildlife refuges is not permitted. Click here to learn more about the San Juan Islands Refuge complex and the wildlife that depends upon them.