Osprey habitat preserved
on San Juan Island
An osprey family returns each year to the same nest atop an old conifer snag on
northeast San Juan Island. To preserve the five and a half acre site, owners Mary
O'Connell and Michael Smith have donated a "forever wild" conservation
easement to The San Juan Preservation Trust.
"I bought the property because the baby ospreys were learning to fly when I
first walked on it," says Mary O'Connell. "It was very exciting and such a
special moment. It's still a privilege to get to see that once a year, and
I look forward to it."
The wooded property with natural rock outcroppings is located along San
Juan Drive. It is the second parcel of preserved land in the neighborhood.
Glen and Rhoda Love own land immediately adjacent to the osprey habitat,
and they donated a "forever wild" easement to the Preservation Trust on
their land west of the county road in 1995.
These conservation easement lands remain as private property and are not open to the public. However, they do remain on the county tax rolls, and they, and the ospreys, can be viewed by the public from the county road. Preserving habitat can help keep wildlife present for the enjoyment of both current and future generations
of islanders.
O'Connell points out that "with all the building on the island, it's gotten
more populated and there are so few places left for the osprey. I thought
making a conservation easement would help to protect the osprey's
'neighborhood.' I just felt it was the right thing to do and I was both
honored and happy to do it."
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San Juan Preservation Trust
With the addition of the O'Connell conservation easement, the Preservation
Trust now holds 34 conservation easements on over 1300 acres on San Juan
Island. The Trust manages its conservation interests throughout the San
Juans through its stewardship program, funded, in part, by annual
membership contributions.
Bob Myhr
Executive Director
The San Juan Preservation Trust
Box 327
(3157 Fisherman Bay Road)
Lopez Island WA 98261-0327
Voice: 360-468-3202 Fax: 360-468-3509
e-mail: sjptrust@rockisland.com
web page: rockisland.com/~sjptrust/
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