In January 2025, the San Juan Preservation Trust officially received the donation of the 7.7-acre Sunny Point Preserve on Stuart Island’s southern tip. This generous gift from Molly Laxström Ciliberti, in honor of her late husband Jack, permanently protects 1,400 feet of distinctive Haro Strait shoreline where minke and orca whales hunt salmon in the waters offshore, while giant Pacific octopuses inhabit the rocky shoreline below. The property features lithified sedimentary rock formations and pocket beaches, along with diverse habitats transitioning from open grassy balds through scattered Douglas-fir and madrone to mature coniferous forest. Remarkable tree diversity includes Pacific yew, seaside juniper, bitter cherry, and Garry oak. 

The preserve connects with nearby protected lands, including the North Star Preserve Conservation Easement, Kitchell Preserve, and Reid Harbor Preserve, strengthening Stuart Island’s conservation corridor. As Molly expressed in her Letter of Intent, the property was given as “a joyful gift to protect in perpetuity as a wildlife preserve.”  

The San Juan Preservation Trust is honored to conserve and care for this special part of Stuart Island.