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| Friends of the San Juans | |
|---|---|
| Name | Friends of the San Juans |
| Formation | 1980s |
| Type | Nonprofit environmental organization |
| Headquarters | San Juan Islands, Washington |
| Region served | San Juan Islands, Puget Sound |
| Coordinates | 48.5480° N, 123.0085° W |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Friends of the San Juans is a regional nonprofit conservation organization focused on protecting the marine and island ecosystems of the San Juan Islands and adjacent waters in the Salish Sea. The group engages in policy advocacy, habitat restoration, scientific monitoring, and community outreach to advance protection of orca habitat, eelgrass beds, shellfish beds, and shorelines. It collaborates with government agencies, tribal nations, academic institutions, and other conservation organizations.
Founded in the late 20th century amid rising concern over industrial impacts in the Salish Sea, the organization emerged alongside movements led by groups such as Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and local chapters of The Nature Conservancy. Early campaigns paralleled litigation and policy debates involving Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Washington State Department of Ecology over water quality and marine shipping. The group worked in coalition with the Lummi Nation and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community on salmon and shellfish restoration, connected with research from University of Washington and Western Washington University, and responded to high-profile incidents that implicated the United States Coast Guard and container shipping lines near the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The organization’s mission centers on conserving marine habitats and island landscapes through science-based advocacy, habitat protection, and public education. Objectives include safeguarding critical habitat for Southern Resident killer whale populations, restoring eelgrass and forage fish spawning areas, improving water quality relevant to Pacific salmon runs, and opposing proposals for industrial development in sensitive zones such as Grays Harbor and Padilla Bay. Strategic goals align with policies from agencies like National Marine Fisheries Service, protections under laws influenced by Endangered Species Act listings, and regional planning frameworks such as the Puget Sound Partnership action agenda.
Programs encompass habitat restoration, marine spatial planning advocacy, legal interventions, and citizen science. Restoration projects have targeted eelgrass beds and shoreline armoring removal at sites comparable to projects run by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and partnerships with Puget Sound Restoration Fund. Marine spatial planning work intersects with initiatives by Northwest Straits Commission and the Salish Sea Marine Conservation Coalition, while legal efforts have paralleled actions involving Earthjustice and other litigants. Community-based projects include forage fish spawning surveys modeled after programs from Puget Sound Partnership and coordinated with academic partners such as The Evergreen State College.
Advocacy priorities include restrictions on vessel noise and speed to reduce impacts on Southern Resident killer whale, campaigns to limit fossil fuel terminals and tanker traffic akin to debates surrounding Cherry Point Terminal and Tesoro Savage proposals, and efforts to strengthen shoreline protections consistent with Washington State Shoreline Management Act objectives. The group has participated in public comment periods for environmental reviews conducted by entities such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and engaged in policy coalitions with organizations like Washington Environmental Council and Center for Biological Diversity. Campaigns have addressed toxic contaminants similar to issues investigated by Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and remediation actions connected to Superfund sites affecting the Salish Sea.
Scientific activities include long-term monitoring of forage fish, eelgrass mapping, and water quality sampling that complement datasets from NOAA and Washington State Department of Ecology. Collaborations with researchers at University of British Columbia and University of Washington have contributed to studies on prey availability for Orcinus orca and impacts of vessel noise documented by acoustic researchers associated with Smithsonian Institution collaborations and independent marine mammal science. The organization supports citizen science efforts similar to protocols used by Cooperative Oxford Laboratory and contributes data to regional repositories used by the Salish Sea Institute.
Educational outreach targets residents, tourists, and commercial operators across the San Juan County archipelago. Programs include interpretive talks, shoreline volunteer events, and school partnerships modeled on outreach by IslandWood and Seattle Aquarium education initiatives. Public campaigns encourage best practices for whale watching consistent with guidelines from Orca Network and vessel operators regulated through coordination with San Juan County Sheriff's Office marine divisions and state ferry systems like Washington State Ferries.
Governance is structured with a board of directors, an executive director, and program staff, reflecting nonprofit norms similar to Conservation Northwest and Friends of the Earth. Funding sources include grants from foundations comparable to Bullitt Foundation and David and Lucile Packard Foundation, donations from individuals, and project-specific contracts with state agencies such as Washington Department of Natural Resources. The organization partners with tribal governments including the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and regional agencies such as the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission to coordinate stewardship across jurisdictional boundaries.
Category:Environmental organizations based in Washington (state) Category:San Juan Islands