Saturday, May 5 on Cady Mountain, San Juan Island
Wildflowers abound in wilderness areas such as Cady Mountain.
From the Land Bank
The Land Bank is leading a guided walk on the Cady Mountain Preserve on Saturday, May 5th to provide islanders with the opportunity to see spring wildflowers and the ongoing Garry oak habitat restoration work.
Reservations are required as space will be limited on this tour. Participants should be in good physical condition as the walk will occur off-trail and occasionally over challenging terrain.
For over ten years private land owners on Cady Mountain have been voluntarily enhancing, maintaining, and restoring remnant Garry oak prairie habitat, largely through the support of a series of federal grants. Thom Pence, a retired U.S. Forest Service forester, provided the instigation and ongoing inspiration for the project. “We are indeed fortunate that the Land Bank had the opportunity to acquire this biologically diverse piece of Garry Oak habitat on San Juan Island. Such opportunities are rare and we fully appreciate our good fortune.”
The Land Bank joined these neighbors’ efforts in 2004 and has performed restoration work on approximately two acres of this rare habitat to date. Work has been performed by a variety of individual volunteers and groups including the Friday Harbor Chapter of Soroptomists International and FHHS students working on community projects, including current project by junior, Austin Ogle.
To RSVP call the Land Bank office, 378-4402 or visit the Land Bank website, co.san-juan.wa.us/land_bank
About the San Juan County Land Bank
In 1990, San Juan County voters approved funding for the San Juan County Land Bank through a one percent real estate transfer tax. This tax is paid by purchasers of property in the County. Land Bank funds are set aside expressly for the purpose of preserving the scenic and natural heritage of the San Juan Islands. Through conservation easements or outright purchases, the Land Bank protects special properties in the County. These may be shorelines, wildlife habitat, woodlands, wetlands, homesteads, or farmland. The Land Bank has protected 4,750 acres of important conservation lands throughout the San Juan Islands.
Conservation lands open for public enjoyment include the Westside Scenic Corridor and Deadman Bay on San Juan Island; the trio of Preserves bordering Fisherman Bay on Lopez, Weeks Wetland, The Tombolo and The Spit, Crescent Beach Preserve, and Turtleback Mountain on Orcas Island.
