Port Stanley Schoolhouse Preserve

Lopez Island

Year Protected: 1996

Land Protected: 17 acres

Public Benefits: Forestland, wildlife habitat

When Fred & Marilyn Ellis placed a conservation easement on more than 300 acres of working farmland on Lopez Island’s northeast side, they created a large corridor of protected land in a vitally important agricultural area. Adding to the Ellises’ generous gesture, Chris and Helena Jones donated an adjacent 17-acre forested property to the Preservation Trust in 1996 that completely surrounds the historic Port Stanley School.

Comprised of a mixed-age stand of a variety of conifers and deciduous trees, the Port Stanley Schoolhouse Preserve serves as a fitting backdrop to the quaint and picturesque school. This preserve will continue to be managed as a “forever wild” preserve, providing wildlife habitat and adding to the large swath of conservation lands in this beloved corner of Lopez Island.