Gund Family Conserves “Forever Wild” Land on Stuart Island

The Gund "Forever Wild" conservation easement knits together other conserved parcels, providing important habitat protection on land enveloping Reid Harbor.

From the San Juan Preservation Trust

The San Juan Preservation Trust is pleased to announce that a key 83-acre parcel has been added to a network of conserved lands on Stuart Island’s iconic Tiptop Hill.  With a donation of a conservation easement on their property, the Gund family has added their names to a list of generous and visionary neighbors that are permanently conserving the dramatic topography of this remote island near the U.S. – Canadian border.

The San Juan Preservation Trust has been working closely with several neighbors on Stuart Island to permanently protect Tiptop Hill and adjacent Reid Harbor.  The Gund property, which spans the entire eastern flank of Tiptop, is blanketed with old growth forest and rare Garry oak savannah habitat. Visible from vantage points throughout the San Juan Islands and Canadian Gulf Islands, Tiptop is also adjacent to Stuart Island State Park in Reid Harbor, a popular recreational destination for boaters.

“It has been our intention to conserve this property from the moment we purchased it,” said George Gund. “We are thrilled to know that it will remain in its natural state forever.”

“This is one of the most spectacular places you’ll ever see in our islands,” added Tim Seifert, executive director of the Preservation Trust. “It has been an honor to work with Mr. Gund and his advisors to ensure that it stays that way.”

The Preservation Trust has assembled this network of conserved lands over many years through donations of land, conservation easements and money from the Stuart Island community. This new conservation easement on the Gund property permanently prohibits any future development, protects important wildlife habitat, and represents a key milestone in this ongoing neighborhood effort.