T S J P T Land & Legacy A Quarterly Report • Winter 2005 • www.sjpt.org A Deep Responsibility to the Land Bernie Hannah Protects his San Juan Island Farm By Christine Chan pond and the deer bed down in the field. You can atching Bernie see the weather change in Hannah, 75, the distance.” Wsift through old The land was originally newspaper clippings, pho- homesteaded by Ed Zigler tos, and farm records, and acquired by the including the original Hannah family through Homestead Certificate Zigler’s marriage to dated February 1883, it’s Minerva Hannah, Bernie’s evident that his San Juan great-grandmother. Family Island farm has much his- lore is thick with stories of tory. It’s a rich history early life on the farm, rab- woven into the land he’s bit and quail hunting committed to protecting. adventures, snowstorms, “I want this place to and the inevitable connec- stay a farm,” he says. “It’s tion to local waters. belonged to me and my While it’s clear that dad (Alvan Hannah), my Bernie Hannah proudly displays some of the bounty from his 163-acre Bernie feels a deep granddad, and my great- farm, which is protected by a voluntary land conservation agreement with responsibility to the land grandmother before that. the San Juan Preservation Trust. and his forefathers, he Lots of memories.” also has a highly prag- As he walks the pasture, he recalls the to facilitate hunting and to maintain matic side. “I see the land as a piece of old barn, once the largest on the island, camas fields. ground where you can be somewhat self- now gone. He describes how it contained Bernie’s 163-acre farm is now largely sufficient,” he says. “You’ve got an horse stalls, milking cows, a full boxing protected by a conservation easement with organic orchard and a big organic gar- arena, and a “white lightning” still housed the San Juan Preservation Trust. This vol- den. Got the land to graze livestock. You beneath the hayloft and vented out untary agreement is designed to reduce res- can be healthy if you live off the land.” through pipes in the steaming manure idential density and to preserve richly vege- Ambling through the 100-tree apple pile. “That old pile just never stopped tated wetlands, seasonal streams, mixed orchard, Bernie notes that although it’s steaming,” he laughs. forest, pond and pasture. Bernie’s open smaller than the original orchard of 400 Now and again the sod will reveal a field provides a vivid contrast to nearby trees, it still produces plenty of cider. piece of metal from the Hannah family’s land once owned by an uncle, now devel- Each autumn he lets the neighbor kids old blacksmith shop. While parts of the oped into a subdivision known as Hannah get in on the cider pressing action, often land have been logged over the years, Heights. Bernie says that’s exactly the fate ending up with more than 150 gallons to the majority remains forested. The field he wants to avoid for his acreage. freeze and sell over the summer. It’s one was cleared long ago by a team of “It was my grandfather’s wish that the of the small ways Bernie can keep work- horses, the timber converted to cord- farm remain in one piece. There aren’t ing the land he wants to preserve. I wood and hauled to the Roche Harbor that many places like this left on the lime kilns. Other remaining trees with island.” He looks around. “It’s just great Christine Chan is a neighbor of Bernie’s low fire scars on the bark suggest inten- to have the space to walk around – the and a member of the Preservation Trust. tional fires once set by Native Americans open space. I can see the geese land in the Christine Chan photo –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The San Juan Preservation Trust is a private voluntary organization whose Protecting a mission is to preserve and protect open spaces, scenic views, forests, agricultural San Juan Island Mountaintop lands, habitats, watersheds, riparian corridors, wetlands and shorelines in Private-Public Partnership Will Establish Nature Preserve the San Juan Archipelago. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Board of Trustees Decatur Island Nick MacPhee Fidalgo Island Dale Hazen Rick Machin, Secretary Lopez Island David Ashbaugh, Vice President David Black Eliza Habegger, Ivaly Hoedemaker Acting Director of Sally Reeve the San Juan Orcas Island County Land Bank, Alan Davidson enjoys the view Alan Fritzberg, Treasurer from Mt. Ben. Anne Hay Harvey Himelfarb Mary Riveland he San Juan Preservation Trust “Jean Walkinshaw and Martha Jonathan White and the San Juan County Land Wheeler, along with their husbands, must San Juan Island TBank announced in January that be thanked for protecting this land,” said Karin Agosta, President they have jointly acquired 21 acres on Mt. Dennis Shaffer, outgoing director of the Debra Clausen Ben, a hilltop on the southern shoulder of Land Bank. “Without their generosity Roger deRoos San Juan Island’s Mt. Dallas. The acquisi- and relentless enthusiasm for protecting Shaw Island tion protects the property from future this beautiful place, the deal would never Fred Ellis development, and is the first step in creat- have come together.” e Waldron Island ing a nature preserve and public walking The Preservation Trust has also Judie Wilgress trail system that accesses sweeping, unob- reached an agreement with a landowner Wasp Islands structed views of the San Juans and adjacent to the newly acquired property Malcolm Goodfellow beyond. to purchase the eastern flank of Mt. Ben. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Preservation Trust will share own- Combined, these properties will create a Land Counselors ership responsibilities with the Land nature preserve that will protect more Rachel Adams Morris Dalton Bank, which will manage public access on than 30 acres of rolling meadows, unde- Bob Dittmer the preserve. Input from the public will veloped ridgelines, mixed-age forests Dodie Gann guide the creation of primitive walking (including old growth specimens), and Betty Gilson trails and other preserve management exceptional views of islands, mountains, Oakley Goodner guidelines. The complex transaction surrounding waters, and the city of Mitchell Hoyt included a significant price reduction Victoria. I Patsy Sangster from Jean Walkinshaw and Martha Eliot Scull Wheeler, the previous landowners, who Bob Weaver approached the Land Bank and the Fred Whitridge Preservation Trust early in 2004 to discuss Andy Wickstrand options for conserving the property. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– “We had decided that we would sell Staff the property, but in our hearts we just did Executive Director not want to see it developed,” said Jean Tim Seifert Walkinshaw, a longtime San Juan Islander Director of Development and Outreach and member of the Preservation Trust. Sven Haarhoff “Martha (Wheeler) and I originally Office Manager bought the land in 1978 because we treas- Sheri Miklaski photo County Land Bank Juan San ured the wildflowers, old trees, splendid Director of Stewardship Dean Dougherty hiking and views that the property offers. Education and Volunteer Coordinator We always thought that we had something Kathleen Foley special here, and that the public might also enjoy the same experience. We’re so –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mt. Ben on the west side of San Juan Legal Counsel pleased that the Preservation Trust and the Island. Julian C. Dewell Land Bank felt the same way.” 2 The San Juan Preservation Trust | www.sjpt.org | Winter 2005 PRESERVATION BRIEF he Preservation Trust and the Land Bank now consult with each other “Tfrequently, always searching for those rare opportunities when the potential of our combined forces might exceed the sum of our individual efforts.” fter seven years of dedicated serv- vote will be required to re-authorize the maximize the pace and quality of land con- ice to land conservation in our agency in 2014. This is a rare and pro- servation in the San Juans. A islands, Dennis Shaffer left his gressive concept, one that is the envy of While we do not work together on post as Director of the San Juan County land conservationists in virtually every every project, the Preservation Trust and Land Bank in early January. The Trust for other region in the nation. Only a few the Land Bank now consult each other Public Lands, a national land trust that other land banks exist, including, most frequently, always searching for those rare focuses on providing public access to notably, the comparably popular - and opportunities when the potential of our open space, recognized his tremendous expensive - islands of Martha’s Vineyard combined forces might exceed the sum of capabilities and lured him back to his and Nantucket. our individual efforts. home state of Vermont to manage their While both organizations protect In addition to the countless accom- northern New England office. It is with important natural areas within the islands, plishments of the Land Bank under his heavy hearts that we say farewell to a man we have, until recently, worked independ- tenure, Dennis led the charge on a num- that has made such a significant and last- ently from one another. To be certain, ber of successful collaborations with the ing contribution to the natural integrity there are some clear differences between Preservation Trust, including Mt. Disney of these islands. our missions and mandates. The Land on Waldron Island; Hogback Mountain, If you’re a little hazy about the differ- Bank, as a government agency, serves the the Orcas tidelands, Buck Bay on Orcas ence between the Preservation Trust and general public. As such, its priorities often Island; Mosquito Pass Preserve on Henry the Land Bank, you’re not alone. The San reflect its responsibility to provide the pub- Island; Mt.