Join the UW Program on Climate Change and Friday Harbor Laboratories for this two-part public lecture followed by refreshments and conversation featuring Stephen Warren and Kyle Armour on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Friday Harbor Labs Dining Hall. Climate of the Antarctic Ice Sheet presented by Stephen Warren, UW Most  Continue Reading

Fire Risk Status “HIGH” – Only Recreational Fires Allowed Due to current fuel conditions and the long range weather forecast, San Juan County has changed its fire risk status from “EXTREME” to “HIGH. This will limit burning to recreational fires only.

Explore the geology of Mount Grant Preserve! Local geologist, Julia Turney, will lead an interpretive walk up the Mount Grant access road, stopping to look at rock exposures and geologic features. Over the course of the walk, Julia will unearth the general geology of the San Juan Islands, the geologic history of Mount Grant Preserve,  Continue Reading

Extra, Extra! Read All About It! An e-version of the San Juan Preservation Trust’s August 2016 Island Dispatch newsletter is now live on the web. Click here to view it. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find: Guardians Forever: Monitoring SJPT’s 226 (and counting) conservation easements is a big job that we take very seriously. Plus, What Is a  Continue Reading

You’re invited to celebrate the arrival of the ketch, Golden Rule, in Friday Harbor. She will be stopping over on her way from the Vancouver Wooden Boat Show to the Victoria Classic Boat Festival. Purchased by the Quakers in 1958, she gained international recognition for her attempt to sail into the nuclear test zone in  Continue Reading

The NRDC invites you to The Whale Museum next Tuesday for this screening of Sonic Sea… Please join us at The Whale Museum on August 30 for a special kickoff screening of NRDC’s new documentary film “Sonic Sea.” Once quiet, our seas are now filled with a cacophony of noise unleashed by oil prospectors, freight  Continue Reading

Griffin Bay Bookstore & The San Juan Island Library Present SPILL by Dave Anderson In Spill, author Dave Anderson imagines what might happen if a container ship grounds off Stuart Island, and a spill of bunker fuel rapidly spreads in the Salish Sea. If you’ve ever worried about such a disaster, then join Dave Anderson for a  Continue Reading

Friends of the San Juans is excited to hold a family-friendly Food Web Picnic on Tuesday, August 30, at Jackson’s Beach on San Juan Island from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. At the event, children will explore the animal habitats at and around Jackson Beach and will earn their Coastal Food Web Investigator badge. Participants can  Continue Reading

Pacific Whale Watch Association and Ace Hardware stores in Anacortes and Friday Harbor, WA Launch “Orca Friendly Products” Ace is the place for… saving orcas! In a unique partnership, Ace Hardware is partnering with the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) in helping its customers find “Orca Friendly” products in its stores. The pilot project will  Continue Reading

Due to the high heat and low fuel moisture levels, all of San Juan County will be at the EXTREME fire hazard level. Therefore, no fires, including recreational fires, are allowed at this time. Robert Low, SJC Fire Marshal

This story submitted by Louise Dustrude… OPALCO board president Vince Dauciunas told a handful of co-op members about some of the swift changes occurring in the electrical industry on Tuesday evening at the Grange. Of greatest significance is the possibility that by 2025 it may be cheaper for us to produce a portion of our  Continue Reading

Summer on San Juan Island isn’t just beach barbeques and whale sightings, it’s also the best time of year for outdoor improvement projects! From July 18 – 29, drivers on Bailer Hill Road may notice crews and machinery at work in the valley on the Land Bank’s False Bay Creek Preserve, located across from the  Continue Reading

San Juan Islands Conservation District is proud to announce our Take Charge electric vehicle program! The San Juan Islands are the perfect place for electric vehicles. To support the transition to low carbon transport technology, we are promoting two new programs: The Public Charge Station Incentive Program, sponsored by OPALCO. The Sign & Drive Lease  Continue Reading

How can Islanders save 77 Million Gallons of Water this Year? By Lauren Platman, Friends of the San Juans With summer underway, some islanders are already feeling the heat – and the drought. Some wells are already being starved of fresh water, which makes the rainy autumn season seem a long way off. As climate  Continue Reading

SJ Preservation Trust shares this update on Mount Grant… Quick: From what publicly accessible high point in the San Juan Islands can you see three of Washington’s five volcanoes? If you guessed Mount Constitution, guess again. The answer is Mount Grant Preserve on San Juan Island. The sweeping 360-degree views from Mount Grant’s summit take  Continue Reading

Here’s a reminder from the County: Burn Permits Expire June 30th & Fireworks Illegal The warm weather at the end of June brings with it the end to outdoor yard debris burning throughout San Juan County, all burn permits expire on June 30th. Both larger land clearing piles and ten foot diameter yard cleanup burn  Continue Reading