Sometimes board meetings involve long days in conference rooms with white boards and flipcharts. Other times they involve 9-minute business meetings followed by walks on the beach under clear blue skies, along with social time with partners and friends. The latter was the case for the Coalition board this month as we gathered in the San Juan Islands (we are always open to new board members and you can indicate your interest here!).
We opened this 2-day gathering to friends and partners in the Islands, and asked our colleagues at the San Juan County Land Bank to show us around. They came through in grand fashion, taking us to six WWRP-funded projects on two Islands (Lopez and San Juan), including:
- Odlin County Park
- Fisherman Bay Spit
- Lopez Channel Preserve
- Deadman Bay
- Lime Kiln Point State Park (WWRP- State Parks 2 grants; phase 1; phase 2)
- Mount Grant Preserve
Each of these projects highlighted different interests and needs for the communities they serve, from ocean-front campsites for visitors to more natural and serene areas for locals to connect with the natural wonders right in their community. They also highlighted the breadth of the WWRP, from hiking to shoreline restoration, working to find the balance between recreation and conservation within the context of local community needs.
In the midst of these visits, we were thankful to raise our glasses with supporters and partners on each Island. We shared the story of the Coalition and its impact within the San Juan Islands and across the state, inviting them to join us in these efforts. Thanks go out to Tom and Sally Reeve for hosting us on Lopez and to Lincoln Bormann and his team at the Land Bank for help coordinating on both islands. And, of course, to both Tom and Lincoln for their service on our board.
