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history and accomplishments

Mission statement:

For over 25 years FRIENDS has had a single mission: To protect the land, water, sea, and livability of the San Juan Islands through science, education, law, and citizen action.

Brief history:

FRIENDS was founded in 1979 to encourage San Juan County's efforts to manage growth and protect critical ecosystems. Since then, FRIENDS' activities have expanded to include marine studies, endangered species protection, beach and marine clean-up, shoreline stewardship, and land use and environmental regulation compliance.

FRIENDS' efforts helped assure adoption of the County's first Comprehensive Plan, at a time when only the more farsighted islanders saw the need to manage growth. Following the passage of the Growth Management Act, FRIENDS was again involved in the development of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan, and in subsequent appeals to ensure compliance with the Act. With extensive experience in comprehensive planning, FRIENDS is often called upon by neighborhood groups faced with developments that threaten their communities. Some of the egregious proposals FRIENDS has helped defeat include the mega-yacht marina and giant grocery store at Orcas Landing and the "longer-than-a-football-field" dock at Westcott Bay.

Since 2001, Friends of the San Juans began its Shoreline Protection Campaign and led an innovative public-private partnership, to protect vital shoreline habitats and species by identifying and mapping forage fish spawning beaches and eelgrass beds. During our Shoreline Protection Campaign Friends has worked with over 500 shoreline landowners, held numerous trainings for county personnel and land managers, and distributed hundreds of digital copies of assessment results to improve management and stewardship of nearshore habitats. The data produced from these surveys is accepted as Best Available Science by the San Juan County Commissioners and relevant state and federal agencies. Friends of the San Juans is also using assessment results to identify protection and restoration priorities and implement shoreline improvement projects. The next step for the Shoreline Protection Campaign is to mobilize citizens and incorporate new science in the Critical Areas Ordinance update process to achieve long term protections of priority habitats and species.

We serve on local and regional advisory groups including the Salmon Recovery Funding Board's Citizen Advisory Team, the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee and the San Juan County Water Resources Committee. FRIENDS also participates in regional research and recovery efforts for orca, salmon, and seagrasses. Locally, we are a founding board member of the San Juan County Economic Development Commission. Each year, FRIENDS helps with beach clean-up efforts to maintain the integrity of our islands and in 2002, FRIENDS initiated the Marine Refuse Project: an ongoing effort to remove debris from marine waters and beaches.

SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Preserve the Character of the Islands

• Developed county’s first Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1979.
• Co-sponsored SJ County Land Bank initiative adopted in 1990.
• Served as major force in 2000 Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
• Formed Citizens’ Growth Management Team in 2002.
• Recognized as prime advocate for farmland and forest protection.
• Published “Cost of Community Services” study in 2002.
• Participant in SJ County hearings on resource lands and hamlet plans.
• Started the League of Homeowners Association in 2003.
• Co-sponsor of 1990 Community Opinion Survey.
• Co-sponsor of Vision 2020-Sustainable Development Conference.
• Founding board member of SJ County Economic Development Commission in 2001.

Conserve Natural Resources

• Endangered Species Act listing co-petitioners: Southern Resident Orca, Cherry Point Herring, and Island Marble Butterfly.
• Completed the State’s first citizen-based forage fish —herring, surf smelt, sand lance—and eelgrass assessment for SJ County (2004).
• Developed the State’s first voluntary salmon conservation easement blueprint (2006).
• Completed the countywide eelgrass assessment for SJ County (2004).
• Recognized by numerous state and federal agencies as model for citizen based scientific data collection.
• Ongoing monitoring of SJ County’s freshwater resources.
• Ongoing research on eelgrass decline in Westcott Bay.
• Ensuring Best Available Science is used be decision makers.
• Participating in SJ County Critical Areas Ordinance update (2006).

Promote Ecological Stewardship

• Developed first SJ County “Nearshore Curriculum” for teachers (2000).
• Created Shoreline Stewardship Volunteer Program, youths & adults (2000).
• Developed and successfully implemented SJ County’s first marine debris removal program (2002).
• Over 100 citizens removed 1,200 pounds of marine debris (2005).
• Co-sponsor of SJ County’s Low-impact Development Workshop (2003).
• Co-sponsor of annual Orca Sing educational events (ongoing).
• Host Canoe Society stopovers in the San Juan Islands (2003, 2004).
• Sponsor a Community Lecture Series (ongoing).
• Member of the SJ County Marine Resource Committee.
• Member of the SJ County Water Resource Management Committee.
• Sponsored Educator Workshop for San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Waldron and Shaw Island teachers (2005).
• Hosted Living with the Shoreline Realtor Education Workshop (2005).
• Hosted Shoreline Management landowner workshop (2005).
• Developed Living with the Shoreline: A Stewardship Guide for San Juan County Property Owners.
• Quarterly newsletters.

Promote Environmental Protection

• Developed the 1979 Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
• Led countywide citizen outreach effort for 2000 Comprehensive Land Use Plan update.
• Prevented unpermitted shoreline development on Henry, Lopez, Orcas, San Juan, and Shaw Islands.
• Successfully defended shorelines at Orcas Landing, Bellevue Farms, Edwards Point, Barlow Bay, and Shoal Bay.
• Prevented a 100 condominium development at Lime Kiln Point (now a State Park).
• Preserved Madrona Point Lummi Ancestral site from a subdivision.
• Wrote an amicus brief in support of San Juan County’s open space ordinance.
• Defeated GSX pipeline – SJ County shoreline substantial development permit defeated (2004).
• Filed clean water act suit against illegal excavation of wetlands (2005).
• Detached Guest House: Ensuring that detached guest houses comply with GMA.
• Assisted neighborhood associations fighting the county’s transient rental policy environmental restrictions on (2003, 2004, 2005).
• Compelled San Juan County staff and elected officials to improve stormwater management policies.
• Endangered Species Act co-petitions for Southern Resident Orca, Cherry Point Herring, Chinook Salmon and the Island Marble Butterfly (2001-2005).

For 25 years FRIENDS has been actively protecting the environment and the character of the San Juan Islands ... for those of us here now, and for future generations. Please join us for the next 25 years!