Stewardship

The San Juan Preservation Trust’s Stewardship Program has two main functions: Management of Preservation Trust preserves and monitoring of Preservation Trust-held conservation easements.

Our Stewardship Program supports both land and people. We have entered into many long-term agreements with private landowners, and we enjoy building lasting relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships with these individuals and families.

The Preservation Trust currently owns and manages about 50 nature preserves on 21 islands throughout the San Juan Archipelago. A management plan has been approved for each of these preserves that seeks to enhance the property’s unique conservation values. In some cases, the preserves are managed for many purposes, including wildlife habit, scenic views, working farms and forests, and public visitation.

The Preservation Trust also stewards more than 200 conservation easements, which are voluntary legal agreements that landowners establish, with our assistance, to protect specific conservation values on their property.

SJPT’s stewardship staff monitors these protected properties least once a year to ensure that the terms of each conservation easement have remained intact. In the case of violations, every effort is made to find an amicable resolution. However, SJPT has on occasion been obliged to defend its conservation interests in court, with notable success.

Have a look at some of the recent and ongoing restoration projects taking place on our preserves. Much of this work is accomplished with volunteer labor, so if this looks like fun, we encourage you to join in. Visit our volunteer page here.