Here’s a thought…
“The competition between Nature and the economy is deep and broad.
In the short term, the economy usually wins. In the long term …?”
BILL APPEL
The Island Gardener for March ~ 2026
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| March in the garden is always a bit of a tug-of-war between patience and pure excitement. Even after all these years, I still find myself getting swept up
Share Your Feedback | County & partners developing tools to manage human/wildlife interactions
The County is seeking to define common messaging, identify strategies to manage wildlife/human interactions, and ways to educate the public. Your experiences and feedback are welcome! ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| In an
Bird Walks are back at the SJI Sculpture Park
Join us April 1st 8-10am for the first walk of the season ||| FROM MARITA HOLDAWAY for SAN JUAN ISLANDS SCULPTURE PARK ||| Great news bird fans! The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park will start
Climate and Sustainability Advisory Committee seeks youth & San Juan Island members
Apply by May 1st to help steer climate action in San Juan County ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is accepting applications for volunteer three positions on its Climate and Sustainability
The Whale Museum opens registration for the 2026 Virtual Gear Up Workshop
||| FROM TRACIE MERRELL for THE WHALE MUSEUM ||| The Whale Museum has opened registration for the 2026 Gear Up Workshop! This year’s workshop will take place virtually on Thursday, April 30 from 10:00 AM
High winds expected to impact WSF service through Tuesday evening
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| All ferry passengers should be prepared for possible service disruptions through Tuesday evening due to high winds. Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes: With stronger winds in
Orca Action Month plans are underway
||| FROM REIN ATTEMANN for ORCA ACTION MONTH ||| It’s that time again! June is Orca Action Month in the Pacific Northwest, and the Orca Salmon Alliance is looking forward to all kinds of activities
Conservation donor fills funding gap on Orcas Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Last August, the Land Bank was ecstatic to announce the acquisition of a 23.8-acre waterfront property located on Orcas Island’s East Sound – home to 1,300 feet of
Something strange in the water and it don’t look good…who ya gonna call? MyCoast!
How to report marine debris in San Juan County ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Marine debris like fishing gear, floats, docks, parts of vessels, creosote waste, and microplastics wash up on our islands’
Eastsound Water cited for repeated safety violations
Total penalties exceed $24,000 ||| FROM CORY HARRINGTON ||| Eastsound Water Users Association has received multiple safety and health citations from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) following workplace inspections conducted in
4th Annual Earth Day Month – Update
Poet Laureate Rena Priest is joining the 4/25 Concert ||| FROM SAN JUAN ISLANDS MAKERS GUILD ||| 2026 marks the 4th year of engaging Earth Day learning experiences on Orcas Island and adds new features.
Grow Your Own Food | Free basic gardening class series
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Community members interested in growing their own vegetables this spring are invited to register for Grow Your Own Food – A Hands-On Gardening Series, a free, four‑part lunchtime
Let’s talk public transit for Orcas & the San Juans
||| FROM COLIN WILLIAMS for FRIENDS OF RURAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ||| You're Invited to a Community Meeting Hosted by the Friends of Rural Public Transportation, Thursday, March 26, 2026, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM, Orcas
Weather Alert | Heavy rainfall
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Seattle WA 1211 PM PDT Thu Mar 19 2026 San Juan County-Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties- Cascades of Snohomish and Northern King
Guest Opinion | Paul Ehrlich was early, not wrong
||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| Paul Ehrlich When Paul Ehrlich died recently (March 13, 2026), many of the obituaries and articles about him repeated a familiar judgment: he was alarmist, even brilliant, but
