San Juan County is a community of bedrock islands in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains and Vancouver Island. It bears the distinction of being the smallest county in Washington State (175 sq. miles) while offering the most marine shoreline (414 miles) of any county in the contiguous United States. At low tide, San Juan County contains no fewer than 743 islands, reefs, and rocks. At high tide, the number of islands decreases to 428. Of these, four islands (Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, and San Juan) are served by Washington State Ferries.
San Juan County lies at the heart of the Salish Sea, which forms a single estuarine ecosystem. That estuary includes Puget Sound and the Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca.
Over 7 million people live within the immediate watershed of the Salish Sea. Consequently, pavement has covered wetlands, mudflats, and marshes, bulkheads have replaced shorelines, and harvests have pushed fish and shellfish to the brink of extinction. Due to its lower population size, San Juan County continues to offer a healthier, largely intact nearshore habitat for critical marine species like forage fish, eelgrass, kelp, salmon, and marine mammals, many of which are endangered or at risk. These nearshore habitats are vital to the health of the Salish Seas marine environment Historically, San Juan County was a fishing, farming, mining, and logging community that . |
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also supported canneries and lime production. Although the commercial base may have shifted from extraction to tourism, the San Juans natural resources still play an essential role in the county's economy.
During the past two decades, San Juan Countys population has grown by over 40%, one of the highest rates in Washington. This extraordinary growth has resulted in significant adverse impacts to the rural landscape, fresh water resources, and wildlife in the area. During this time of growth and change, FRIENDS of the San Juans has protected and promoted the health and future of the San Juan Islands through science, education, stewardship and advocacy. |
