New (To Us) Preserve
New SJPT preserve: Ihiya Biological Preserve on San Juan Island, acquired in December 2021.
New Fence = Cleaner Water
For years, we’ve been planning to build a fence on Red Mill Farm Preserve that keeps grazing cattle out of False [...]
A Trail Runs To It
Earlier this year, the Preservation Trust acquired a 42-acre property, now known as the Keel Preserve, on the east side of [...]
School Partnerships
This past year, we've made some of our preserves available as “learning landscapes” through partnerships with schools. We recognize the benefits [...]
It’s Amphibian Season!
With Spring comes another a joyful amphibian season in the islands. Just last week, SJPT Land Steward Rob Roy McGregor spotted [...]
Kudos to Skip
Ruthie Dougherty, Ellis Preserve Curator, writes: Two years ago, faced with some unusual projects at the Marilyn and Fred Ellis Preserve [...]
The “Steller” Stars of Whale Rocks
Dr. Frances Robertson, Coordinator of the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), takes a boat trip to the swift waters [...]
Zylstra Lake Preserve Opens for Public Access
The "year-round" portion of the trail (turquoise line) opens this fall. September 21, 2020 — The timing couldn’t be more perfect: This [...]
If You Build It …
In May we mounted Purple Martin nest boxes built by volunteer Joshua Johns on the dock house at the Marilyn and [...]
From Eyesore to Oasis
Our 2020 summer interns transformed a rotting stump into a pollinator garden Summer interns Georgia Drost and Emma Jacobs made the [...]
This Summer’s Internship is Different
Each year in January, we open the search for candidates for our Fred E. Ellis Summer Internship program. Little did we [...]
Summer Comes to the Ellis Preserve
“The lovely flowers embarrass me. They make me regret I am not a bee…” –Emily Dickinson At the Marilyn and Fred [...]
Vendovi Island Re-Opening
We are pleased to announce the re-opening of Vendovi Island Preserve as of May 8, 2020, subject to Washington State guidelines and restrictions.
Preserving Our Night Sky
Credit: David Lorens (University of Wisconsin-Madison) overlaid on Google Earth At the mention of land preservation, one's mind often fixates on [...]
Protecting Point Lawrence
This map shows conservation lands on Orcas Island's Point Lawrence We were pleased in November 2019 when Washington State Parks and [...]
Help for Hemlocks?
For more than 30 years, a tiny sap-sucking insect has been killing untold millions of hemlock trees in the eastern United [...]
Ellis Family Preserve 2019 Open Preserve Days
July scenery at the Ellis Family Preserve | Staff archive If you'd like to visit the Ellis Family Preserve (on Shaw [...]
We Love Dogs, But …
Well-behaved human and dogs on Turtleback Mountain We're all creatures of habit, and some of us are in the habit of [...]
See the Winter 2018 Dispatch Newsletter
Red Mill Farm at Night | Rob Roy McGregor In this issue: Letter from Angela: Looking Ahead and Behind [...]
Night at Red Mill Farm
SJPT Land Steward Rob Roy McGregor took these photos on a recent night at Red Mill Farm Preserve on San Juan [...]
Capturing Fall Photos on Vendovi
A group of photo enthusiasts boated to Vendovi Island on October 20 to capture images of autumn splendor. They found plenty, [...]
A New Way to Visit Vendovi Island
San Juan Cruises boat at the Vendovi Island dock Vendovi Island is one of the Preservation Trust’s most spectacular [...]
Gallery of Signs on Vendovi and Turtlehead
In 2013, the San Juan Preservation Trust started working with Sea Reach, an outdoor exhibit design firm based in Sheridan, Oregon, [...]
The Henrys: Connected!
We are thrilled that, in these first days of 2018, we can declare the successful completion of our $1.95 million Campaign [...]
Ellis Family Donates Record-Breaking Shaw Island Preserve
On the last day of 2017, a closing took place that represented the largest donation—as measured in both acres and appraised [...]
Zylstra Lake is a Done Deal!
On December 20, almost two years to the day since the San Juan County Land Bank and the Preservation Trust signed an [...]
Saving Kelly’s Point
Our conservation partners at Skagit Land Trust have launched a campaign to acquire and permanently protect Kelly’s Point and Yellow Bluff [...]
Zylstra Lake Update
Legislative Impasse Puts Major Funding Source in Limbo When the state legislature adjourned in July without passing a Capital Construction Budget, [...]
Henry Trail
On Earth Day Eve (April 21), 2017, group of volunteers and SJPT staff created a new trail across the Henry Island Isthmus [...]
A Giant Step for Zylstra Lake
MORE GREAT NEWS! We learned last week that Zylstra Lake, another of our joint projects with the San Juan County Land [...]