Volunteer: Planting Party at the Sundstrom Farm Preserve

The Sundstrom Farm Preserve is a visually stunning place that sits at the corner of Douglas and San Juan Valley Roads on San Juan Island. That wonderful sensation of heading out into rural San Juan Valley from Friday Harbor can partially be attributed to the conservation of this preserve.

Although there is no public access to this preserve, island residents and visitors alike can enjoy views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains with the charismatic Douglas firs of Sundstrom Farm contrasted in the foreground. San Juan Valley Creek flows through the preserve and eventually meets up with False Bay Creek before draining into False Bay. Across multiple SJPT Preserves and alongside many partners, efforts are being made to fence cattle out of streams and plant native vegetation as a way to balance the ecological health of freshwater ecosystems with the economic and cultural values of cattle grazing.

For this planting party event, SJPT volunteers will be planting a wide array of native plants that should thrive in a riparian habitat. The plantings will eventually provide a buffer for the runoff of nutrients, shade to the potentially fish-bearing stream, and a habitat corridor for birds, mammals, and more. We have around 200 plants, including cottonwood, black hawthorn, pacific crabapple, paper birch, spirea, red flowering currant, pacific ninebark, and twinberry.

Land Steward Ben Halowell will lead and Jack Russillo, Volunteer and Outreach Coodinator, will support. Please bring your own water and lunch if needed, although snacks will be provided. Registrants should expect to meet at Red Mill Farm (290 Valley Farms Road) before carpooling out to the Sundstrom Preserve.

Date: Friday, February 2, 2024

• Time: 9:00am - 1:00pm
• Location: Sundstrom Farm Preserve (meet at Red Mill Farm)
• Bring: Sturdy waterproof boots for planting in a farm field near a creek, weather-appropriate clothing, work gloves, water (snacks and warm beverages will be provided by SJPT) 
• Questions? Email Jack Russillo, SJPT Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator

Please note:

This event is limited to the first 15 people who sign up. (You can join the waiting list when you sign up if capacity has been reached. If there are cancellations, we will contact the next in line as soon as possible.)

All participants are required to sign an SJPT liability waiver. Please ensure that everyone you register, including yourself, has filled out our online waiver in English or en Español (required as part of the registration process).

Todos los participantes deben firmar una exención de responsabilidad del SJPT. Asegúrese de que todas las personas que registre, incluido usted mismo, hayan completado nuestra exención en línea en inglés o en español (requerido como parte del proceso de registro).