How the islands’ climate is changing: Winds and tides - The Journal of the San Juan Islands By Russel Barsh

As scientists, we are concerned that island-specific threats from climate change are not yet concretely addressed in local planning

www.sanjuanjournal.com/2026/04/18/h...

Details on the community clam dig
lopezrocks.org/page.php?typ...

A bucket of butter and little neck clams covered in water. A hand is holding one of the butter clams to show it off.

Minus tides this weekend, and we are hosting a community clam dig on Sunday April 19 starting at 11:30 at the end of Mud Bay Dock Road on Lopez Island.

When Cattle Point was a garden
www.sanjuanjournal.com/2026/04/10/when-cattle-p...

What we shared at the Tides of March www.islandssounder.com/2026/04/02/d...

You can support this collaboration between Kwiaht, PKOLS (Protecting Knowledge of Land and Sea), and the San Juan Islands National Monument (BLM) with donations through the San Juan Island Community Foundation sjicf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/c...

The Cattle Point garden project will combine traditional Indigenous knowledge with recent botanical research, working with families that cultivated parts of San Juan Island for centuries before Spanish and British sailors set eyes on our shores.

Montezuma County apple enthusiasts help rediscover lost apple variety After gaining popularity in the U.S. West, the Walbridge apple had all but disappeared in the past century – until last fall. Since 2015, researchers have been trying to locate the remaining Walbridge...

Our botanist @arbutocrat.bsky.social is part of the Historic Fruit Tree Working Group of North America and shared the excitement at identifying the long lost Walbridge apple. It wasn't planted in the islands, but we're inspired to collect more samples for genetic ID and work to protect old trees.

Pink apple buds surrounded by green leaves with lichen in the background.

Our last scheduled scion exchange and grafting workshop is coming up this Saturday April 4th at the Orcas Island Museum in Eastsound. We'll be there with heritage apple scions and rootstock from 12-3pm rain or shine.

Bright purple shore lupines with silvery foliage blooming along a rocky shoreline. There is a large black and yellow bumble bee in the middle of the photo.

We're raising funds through the San Juan Island Community Foundation to start restoring native plants and cultural landscapes at Cattle Point (San Juan Island) with PKOLS (Protecting Knowledge of Land and Sea) and the San Juan Islands National Monument. You can donate through April 15th.

We were able to donate nearly 9 gallons of nettle soup to the Lopez Food Share!

A poster with a picture of orange ochre sea stars on a seaweed covered rock. It reads: "Summer on the Beach! We are seeking an exceptional middle or high-school student to work part-time as an ecosystem steward alongside adult volunteers and Kwiaht scientists at: Indian Island, Eastsound. Successful applicants will be organized, reliable, enjoy speaking to strangers, and working in a cooperative team. Interest in ecology and marine biology is an advantage but not required. Help inform and educate visitors to Indian Island on 30 low-tide days in June, July, and August (about 100 hours total). Your reward is a summer of seabirds, sea stars, and science, plus a $3,300 stipend. May be compatible with other part-time summer employment. Interested? Write to info@kwiaht.org to schedule an interview. Robyn Lowe Fund. Indian Island Marine Health Observatory, Kwiaht. Supported by generous private donors on Orcas Island."

We are seeking an exceptional middle or high-school student to work part-time as an ecosystem steward alongside adult volunteers and Kwiaht scientists at Indian Island, Eastsound.
Preference given to Orcas Island students.
Interested? Write to info@kwiaht.org to schedule an interview.

Senate approves, sends Rep. Gloria Mendoza’s WSU heritage apple orchard bill to governor Legislation sponsored by Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview, to preserve rare and historic apple varieties grown across the state is on its way to the governor for his signature. On Thursday, the Washin...

Statewide recognition for the deep roots of apple cultivation. We look forward to participating in the implementation of this program and seeing it build the excellent ongoing work of Dr. Cameron Peace at WSU to identify heritage apple varieties. gloriamendoza.houserepublicans.wa.gov/2026/03/05/s...

We'll be sharing scions from newly rediscovered heritage varieties that have been grown in the islands for over 100 years.

Poster for a grafting workshop. At the center is a photos of a dense cluster of red striped apples on a tree. The poster reads: "Celebrate the 1st day of Spring with Apples! Grafting workshop and scion exchange. Free rootstock and heritage varieties from the islands. San Juan Island Grange. Saturday March 21 Noon to 2pm. Supported by the San Juan Island Community Foundation." There is a Kwiaht 20th anniversary logo at the bottom left.

It's grafting season! We have upcoming grafting workshops with heritage island apples on San Juan (March 21st), Lopez (March 29th), and Orcas (April 4th).

The Tides of March celebrates 18 years of Indian Island stewardship - The Journal of the San Juan Islands By Russel Barsh

Join us for the Tides of March and learn about 18 years of community science and stewardship at Indian Island www.sanjuanjournal.com/2026/03/04/t...

U.S. Army Colonel Granville Haller (1819-1897), 1886

#OnThisDay in 1859, a group of scientists dined with Major Granville Haller at Port Townsend to discuss the San Juan Islands. historylink.org/File/11196

Guide to Native Pollinators in the San Juan Islands The pollinator network of the Haro archipelago is distinct from that found on the mainland. Geography and climate limit the dispersal of pollinators and the kinds of habitats available to them for fee...

Russel will be presenting an overview of local butterflies and moths at the Odd Fellows Hall in Eastsound today (2-3:30pm). There will be copies of our new butterfly and moth book available. We also have an online guide to the local bee and fly pollinators of the islands

An excellent apple variety to share a name with!

We will have scions of Belmont from heritage Orcas trees to share at our scion exchanges in March and April.

If you find dead waterfowl, raptors, seabirds, or scavengers in the islands please do not handle them and contact us (info@kwiaht.org). We immediately share the reports and info with our colleagues at WDFW.

We cooperate with WDFW to quickly respond to community reports of dead animals so that viable samples can be collected and the carcasses can be safely removed.

Red Foxes on San Juan Island Test Positive for Avian Influenza • San Juan County, WA

Sampling of dead foxes on San Juan by Kwiaht and Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that two of them were infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza. www.sanjuancountywa.gov/m/NewsFlash/...

Lopez moth hunt engages community in bat fungus research Citizen science project provides clues for bat survival on the islands.

Learn how our stellar lab technician Sophie Citro is organizing community moth science in the islands

Poster for a talk. In the middle is a photo of a brown woodland skipper with its long tongue in a pink thistle inflorescence. The poster says "Kwiaht ecologist Russel Barsh at Orcas Odd Fellows Hall. Colorful, Rare, & Mysterious Butterflies & Moths of the San Juan Islands. Sunday, February 22--2:00-3:30pm"

Come let Russel Barsh introduce you to the lesser known butterflies and moths of the San Juan archipelago. February 22nd at the Orcas Odd Fellows Hall from 2-3:30

The illustrated handbook Butterflies of the San Juan Islands (and some interesting moths) will be available.

It’s time for ticks | A message from Kwiaht ||| FROM RUSSEL BARSH for KWIAHT ||| Tick season is here! In the San Juan Islands, ticks go “questing” for new hosts from January through June, usually peaking in March and April. While ticks are s...

Tick activity is starting in the islands. Send us any you find theorcasonian.com/its-time-for...

We are honored to co-host the Food Sovereignty and Thriving Indigenous Plant Communities session at the 2026 San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit, alongside Protecting Knowledge of Land and Sea (PKOLS) and the Indigenous Plants Forum on Saturday February 28th.

We really enjoyed showing him the islands and the old orchards!

Some of what we're working on to support food security, cultural landscapes, and agricultural biodiversity in the islands.

Poster for Kwiaht's Marine Matinee. A close up of a herring head with the big eye centered. A bubble above reads "Marine Matinee" and below it says "Kwiaht. Lopez Center. Sunday January 25, 3-5pm. Free. Refreshments."

Want to learn more about our research in the marine waters around the San Juan Islands? Kwiaht director Russel Barsh will tell you all about it at our Marine Matinee on Sunday January 25th at Lopez Center.