Lambert Conservation Easement

San Juan Island

In another great example of neighbors working together to conserve ecologically sensitive areas, neighbors Charles and Gretchen Lambert and Don and Katy Peek of San Juan Island joined forces to conserve over 1,100 feet of undisturbed shoreline along San Juan Channel. Concerned about the impact of nearby logging, together, the neighbors purchased ten acres of heavily forested uplands to add to their 21-acre shoreline holdings, effectively protecting 31 acres in total.

“We love the old-growth forest on the property,” said Gretchen Lambert about the decision to place a conservation easement on their land. “There are a lot of hundred-year old trees and the flora and fauna that goes with an old-growth forest. There are also limestone quarries that are part of the island’s history and we wanted to save them, too.” She added, “Over the years, the property in this area has been divided again and again. Now, with this easement, it’s coming back into a larger piece again. We feel good about that.”

The forested hillside that rises from the shoreline to Eureka Drive includes large Douglas fir and western red cedar trees more than a century old. Grottos lined with mosses and ferns are all that remains of the limestone quarries Gretchen refers to, abandoned at the turn of the last century. A seasonal stream attracts a variety of birds to the land which will remain in its natural condition as a haven for wildlife.  The property is visible from San Juan Channel and is part of the San Juan Islands Scenic Ferry Corridor.