From Left to Right: SJPT Director of Special Projects Kathleen Lewis, Gretchen Gubelman, Beau Borrero | Staff archive
“Do you want to go down to Jurassic Park?” That’s how the Gubelman family describes a lush ravine at Wiseacres, their property on San Juan Island.
The family first set roots on the island during the 1850’s. A century and a half later, in 2001, Gretchen Gubelman purchased Wiseacres, where she lives with her son Beau and daughter-in-law Holly. The property name originates from Beau’s grandmother, who was a schoolteacher. When her students acted up, she often called them “wiseacres,” as a kid-friendly way of saying “wise-a**.” The double entendre stuck.
Over the years, Gretchen and Beau have gained a deep appreciation for their pocket of San Juan Island, which is what prompted them to conserve part of Wiseacres forever. This August, they donated a conservation easement to the Preservation Trust covering 15.8 acres of the property. The new easement permanently protects an intact upland forest rich with fungi, prehistoric ferns, towering Douglas firs, and the babbling sound of False Bay Creek.
Few perennially flowing streams remain in the islands, but False Bay Creek is one of them. The freshwater stream is at risk of significant ecological threat should additional logging activity take place around it in the future. Historically, the waterway has been the site of salmon spawning, but habitat conversion over the years has degraded that ability. The Gubelman’s decision to place a conservation easement on Wiseacres will have lasting positive effects for San Juan Island’s water quality and riparian species.
“This is the only place in the world that I have the power to protect,” remarks Gretchen. “We’ve got to preserve what we have left and start thinking about how our short-term decisions have long-term impact.”
Collaborating with the Gubelman family has been an utter joy for staff at SJPT. Our work is truly community-based, and we couldn’t have conserved Wiseacres without their partnership.
“This was a small conservation easement, but it accomplishes BIG things,” says Kathleen Lewis, SJPT’s Director of Special Projects. “Primarily, mature forest along a critical stream corridor will now be protected in perpetuity.”
We’re grateful for Gretchen and Beau’s wise foresight in choosing to conserve a portion of False Bay Creek for all the beings—humans and otherwise—that will rely on it forever.
False Bay Creek at Wiseacres | Staff Archive