San Juan Islands stewardship guide 2022

V I S I T O R S
A N D R E S I D E N T S
San Juan
n
San Juan
Islands
Islands
S T E W A R D S H I P G U I D E
ST E W A R D S H I P G U I D E

BE
WATER
WISE
With low rainfall from May to
October, our water supply is not
recharged during the summer, so
please help us by being careful
about how much water you use.
B.Marrett

CLEAN WITH CARE
Use only nontoxic soaps and
care products to avoid impacting
local septic systems and treatment
plants that drain to groundwater
and the Salish Sea.
WATER
WITHOUT
WASTE
Drink plenty of
water to avoid
dehydration.
Use your
durable water
bottle that can
be refilled
and help keep
plastics out of
the food chain
for wildlife and
humans.
BATHE BRIEFLY
Take short showers and
conserve water where you
can so everyone has enough
throughout the year.
T. Dichiara

LEAVE
NO
TRACE
SJIVB
Attracting over a million visitors
every year, the Islands are beautiful
yet fragile. Here are some tips
that can help you preserve the
environment for generations to come.

LOOK BUT
DON’T TOUCH
Take care if you see a
butterfly with green
and white marbling
on the underside of its
wings. This rare beauty,
the Island Marble
butterfly, is found only
on the San Juan Islands
and is an endangered
protected species.
NO SHORTCUTS, NO LITTER
Trails get lots of use in the
summer. Help us keep them
in good condition by avoiding
cut-offs, and picking up any
inadvertent trash you spot to
help Leave No Trace.
BE A FRIEND TO
THE BUTTERFLIES
AND BEES
Wildflowers are
beautiful, and it may
be tempting to pick a
bunch to take home,
but please leave them
for butterflies and other
insects, small birds, and
animals who depend on
seeds, nectar, and pollen
for their food supply and life
support system.
A. Nesler

BE A POOPER SCOOPER
Collect pet waste to protect
our waters—and keep
everyone’s shoes clean.
SHOW US YOUR MUG
Bring your own reusable bottle
or mug to reduce waste.
RECYCLING
Not sure if that container can be recycled? Don’t
be a spoiler—when in doubt, throw it out. Please
keep recycling clean enough to reuse, or we risk
the whole lot being trashed. If it doesn’t look clean
enough to reuse, it’s not clean enough to recycle.

STAY
GROUNDED
Please avoid
launching
balloons in
the air, or
pitching golf
balls into the
water. They
can look like
food and
impact birds
and wildlife.
Seven Principles
for Leaving No Trace
1. Plan ahead and prepare.
2. Stick to trails and camp overnight right.
3. Trash your trash and pick up poop
4. Leave it as you find it.
5. Be careful with fire. Use installed
campfire rings for all fires.
6. Keep wildlife wild.
7. Be considerate of other visitors.
HAVE FUN. BE SAFE. LEAVE NO TRACE.
BE WIND WARY
Make sure to
secure all plastic
products that
could blow off
your boat, dock,
or residence.
These could
end up being
consumed by
wildlife and trash
our beaches.
source: Leave No Trace:
sanjuanco.com/1124/Leave-No-Trace
NOT TOO CLOSE,
I’M WILD
Even though our wildlife
seems friendly, feeding
them and tempting them
to interact with humans
puts them at risk. Use
binoculars and a zoom
on your camera to get
up close and personal on
land or water.
T. Dichiara

KEEP
THE
PEACE
People enjoy the peace and
tranquility the Islands provide.
This can be shattered by
behavior that might be normal
elsewhere.
T. Dichiara

DRONES NOT PERMITTED IN PUBLIC
PARKS AND CONSERVATION AREAS
Drone use is discouraged and not permitted
in public parks and conservation areas.
Please respect peoples’ personal space and
property rights.
VOICES CARRY
Use your indoor
voice—outside.
Sound and
voices carry
further on the
Islands and
across water.
Help keep
the peace by
keeping your
voice and
music low.
ALL FIRES MUST
BE CONTAINED
Burning is restricted in
all but designated fire
rings. Please help us
keep the driftwood that
protects our beaches
and bluffs safe.
SMOKERS: PLEASE
BE CONSIDERATE
Help keep our air clean
and crisp for everyone.
Avoid smoking or vaping
in all public parks.
NO FIREWORKS ALLOWED, INCLUDING ON BOATS
Fireworks are not allowed in the Islands due to the
high fire hazard during summer.

BE A
MARINE
STEWARD
Our marine waters are precious
and require extra care and
protection. Here’s how we can keep
our waters safe and healthy for
wildlife, vegetation, and people.

KNOW THE ZONES
Know the rules about areas that are off-limits or have
restrictions such as the whale and salmon sanctuary
(voluntary no-go zone) and wildlife refuge areas. Go
to sjcmrc.org to view the latest Marine Stewardship
Area maps.
KEEP THE WATER CLEAN
We offer free use of blackwater pumpouts, and you
can filter your bilge water to avoid dispersing oils and
grease into the Salish Sea.
There are eight pump outs located on the
San Juan Islands.
• Stuart Island
• Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island
• Deer Harbor, West Sound Marina, West Beach, and
Rosario on Orcas
• Island Marine on Fisherman Bay on Lopez
PROTECT EELGRASS
If you are a boater, use designated
moorages (e.g., docks, buoys) and
do not anchor in eelgrass beds,
which are torn up by anchors.
Eelgrass is habitat for forage fish
and shellfish that get eaten by
salmon and other wildlife that
also feed our killer whales. It’s all
connected!
STAY SOBER STAY SAFE
Keep your wits about you
and minimize or avoid
consumption of alcohol
while boating. The waters
here are 50 degrees and
below; you have less
than five minutes to get
out of the water before
hypothermia sets in.
T. Dichiara

BE
M. Wieland
WHALE
WISE
As a marine stewardship
area, San Juan County’s
beauty and abundant wildlife
need extra protection.

BE SELECTIVE ABOUT
THE TOURS YOU ATTEND
If you go on a guided whale watching,
kayaking or fishing trip, ask about
the laws and what the operator does
on the water to support Southern
Resident killer whale recovery and
survival.
VIEW FROM SHORE
Look for whales from
shore to reduce the
impact of noise and
physical disturbance on
endangered Southern
Resident killer whales.
GIVE WHALES THEIR SPACE
While on your boat, slow down to reduce noise and potential
impact to wildlife, turn off your sonar, and look for the whale
warning flag if you spot whales while on your boat. Do not
approach or join a “pod-parazzi” of private boats to follow the
whales. See www.bewhalewise.org for more information on
restrictions and consequences of violating federal laws protecting
marine mammals.
C. Hansen

C. Silvernail
TAKE IT
EASY
KEEP IT SLOW
When driving, go slow to keep wildlife,
bicyclists, and pedestrians safe on our
narrow country roads. The maximum
speed on any San Juan Island is 45 mph,
but in many places it is 20-30 mph.
Observe speed limits.
DITCH THE CAR
Consider enjoying the Islands by bike or
alternative transportation. Find a bike
route for your Island at www.sanjuanco.
com/1356/Map-Gallery.

BIKE SAFE, BIKE SMART
road biking
Narrow County roads often
have tight shoulders and poor
visibility. Use caution, ride in
single file, and pick safe, visible
places to fully pull off the road
if you need to stop. Always
follow the rules of the road and
watch for “Sunday drivers” any day
of the week.
trail biking
Trail or mountain biking is offered at select
locations in the Islands and are designed to
accommodate bike use, minimize conflicts
with other users and environmental damage.
Be courteous. Let your fellow trail users know
you are coming, maintain appropriate speed for
conditions, and yield to other users or especially
if you are going downhill.
DOING YOUR PART FOR THE
CLIMATE AND YOUR HEALTH
Thanks for making your adventures low carbon
by biking around the Islands. Be sure to watch
for traffic and consider using roads less traveled
such as these:
Orcas
Island
Lopez
Island
San Juan
Island

RESPECT
ISLAND
Sculpture: B. Meyers
CULTURE
Honoring the lifeways of the many generations of peoples
who lived, fished, hunted, and harvested in the San Juans.
SACRED COAST SALISH LAND
Native American tribes and First
Nations of Canada have cared
for the San Juan Islands as part
of their ancestral territory since
time immemorial. Coast Salish
people gathered in the Islands
to harvest shellfish and salmon
from the sea, camas in prairies,
berries along streams and in
forests, and other flora and
fauna for food and traditional
uses. These ancestral lands
and waters are still utilized
today, and are protected under
inherent, ancestral, and tribal
treaty rights; please honor and
respect these rights.
TRIBES IN THE
SAN JUAN ISLANDS
Today, Coast Salish tribes
continue to steward their
ancestral territories. Take the
time to learn about and honor
the traditional ways of the
Tribes and First Nations in
the area.

T. Dichiara
RESPECT ARTIFACTS
Significant Coast Salish cultural artifacts are found
in the Islands, including shell midden, burial sites,
gathering locations, and remnants of tribal villages.
There are also historic structures and buildings
such as lime kilns, cannery sites, light houses,
cemeteries, heritage orchards, barns, and churches.
Please be respectful of these unique features
and avoid disturbing or removing any artifacts
discovered in your wanderings.
PLANNING ACTIVITY
ALONG THE SHORELINE
Many shorelines have important cultural and
historic resources. Please check with the local
community development department or the
WA Department of Archaeology and Historic
Preservation before embarking on any project
along the shore including: clearing of vegetation,
trail building, or armoring of the shoreline.
These activities require technical review and
permit approval. Do your part to help preserve
the cultural heritage of the Islands.
Carving: “Interaction” by S. Point

GET
INVOLVED
Residents and visitors alike are vital to helping
keep the Islands a beautiful, special place.
SJC Conservation Land Bank
STEWARDSHIP MATTERS
Consider pitching in on your own or join
a community event for beach or roadside
cleanups, restoration planting, or parks
and trails maintenance. Participate in
cultural and historic workshops to learn
more about the Islands’ diverse cultural
heritage and how to protect it.
CONNECTING TO PLACE
Volunteer groups and committees work
throughout the year on projects to protect
our unique Islands and the surrounding
Salish Sea. Consider donating some of your
time or financial support, to help keep
these efforts thriving in our community.
San Juan Preservation Trust
Amy Nesler
Visit sanjuanco.com/EnvironmentalStewardship to learn how you can
help create a thriving environment for everyone!

K. Smith T. Dichiara
C. Silvernail
all n atural
SAN JUAN
ISLANDS
Look for the symbol (left)
at local retailers and
throughout the Islands for
stewardship tips.
This guide was made possible with
support from the San Juan County local
lodging tax grant program and San Juan
County Environmental Stewardship.
T. Best
San Juan County - Parks, Public Works, Environmental Stewardship sanjuanco.com
San Juan County - Land Bank sjclandbank.org
State Parks San Juan Islands parks.wa.gov
National Parks - San Juan Islands nps.gov/sajh
Bureau of Land Management blm.gov (search San Juan Islands)
San Juan Islands Conservation District sanjuanislandscd.org
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau visitsanjuans.com
San Juan Preservation Trust sjpt.org
State Department of Natural Resources dnr.wa.gov/go
US Fish and Wildlife Service www.fws.gov/refuge/san_juan_islands
K. Smith H. Buchanan M. Gardner

GO SLOW. BREATHE
DEEP. COME SEE
BEAUTY IN THIS
PLACE. FEEL THE
B R E E Z E AND THE
WARMTH OF THE
SUN. LISTEN FOR
THE BIRDS AND
BLOW OF WHALES.
SMELL ALL THE
WILDFLOWERS.
RELAX. YOU ARE
ON ISLAND TIME
NOW. ENJOY.
T. Dichiara