Additional purchase links Turtleback Mountain lands
Acquisition Protects Entire Ridgeline, Provides Public Access to Turtlehead
From the San Juan Preservation Trust
The 30-acre “head” of the turtle, which was donated to the San Juan Preservation Trust in 1990, is separated from Turtleback Mountain Preserve by a privately-held 111-acre property. The owners had begun to prepare this larger property for residential development when they learned of the Preservation Trust’s interest. After many months of negotiation, the parties agreed upon a purchase price of $1.0 million.
San Juan Preservation Trust has acquired land that was slated for private development.
The San Juan Preservation Trust quickly identified $600,000 towards the purchase price, including $500,000 from its own investment funds and $100,000 for four lead donors. After a summer fundraising feasibility effort yielded additional gifts and pledges from several other generous individuals, the Preservation Trust’s board of trustees unanimously agreed to proceed with the project. With $990,000 now committed, the Preservation Trust continues to fundraise to meet its total project goal of $1.15 million. The $160,000 outstanding balance includes funds needed for the purchase as well as trail building expenses and a small stewardship endowment to care for the property.
With this acquisition, the Turtleback Mountain Preserve will expand to include both the 111- acre purchased property and the 30-acre turtle’s head, which has stunning 360-degree views of surrounding islands. This addition ensures that the entire Turtleback Mountain ridgeline will remain undeveloped and creates a new day hike to a premier destination that has – until now – been inaccessible to the public.
The Preservation Trust plans to work with the San Juan County Land Bank to merge these three properties into one single preserve, with the same shared ownership arrangement that has already been established on the Turtleback Mountain Preserve. In the meantime, this partnership has already engaged the Washington Trails Association, and over the next several months these three groups will work together to design and build a public trail that will connect the Turtleback Mountain Preserve with the spectacular views provided from the summit of Turtlehead.
To help complete this project, or for more information about the campaign and plans for public access, please visit www.sjpt.org.
Founded in 1979, the San Juan Preservation Trust (www.sjpt.org) is a nationally accredited private, non-profit and membership-based land trust dedicated to helping people and communities conserve land in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. The Preservation Trust has permanently protected more than 260 properties, 37 miles of shoreline and 15,000 acres on 20 islands, including land now managed as public parks, nature preserves, wildlife habitat, and working farms and forests.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
