San Juan Preservation Trust Completes ‘Sea-to-Summit’ Corridor with Protection of Mt. Ben West Preserve
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 19, 2026
The San Juan Preservation Trust is pleased to announce that the 30-acre Mt. Ben West Preserve on San Juan Island was permanently protected on March 31, when SJPT purchased the property. This milestone caps a decades-long conservation effort on the island’s west side and completes a “sea-to-summit” corridor connecting three preserves—the Conservation Land Bank’s Westside Preserve, the San Juan Preservation Trust’s Mt. Ben West Preserve, and the joint Preservation Trust-SJCCLB Mt. Ben Preserve—with future plans for public trail connections across the landscape. The project was made possible by a broad community of donors who raised $1.84 million in eight months.
The vision for the Mt. Ben West Preserve and its sea-to-summit connection traces back to 2004, when longtime San Juan Island residents Jean and Walter Walkinshaw and Martha and Lawrence Wheeler began planning the future of their land atop Mt. Ben. Having first fallen in love with the property in 1978, they chose to partner with the San Juan Preservation Trust and Conservation Land Bank to create the 21-acre Mt. Ben Preserve, which was later expanded to 35 acres. Reflecting on their decision to protect the land, Jean Walkinshaw noted, “We always thought that we had something special here, and that the public might also enjoy the same experience.”
Since then, the Preservation Trust, partners, and community supporters have worked steadily to protect nearby lands. Mt. Ben West Preserve represents the final, critical link in this sea-to-summit effort. With its protection, conserved lands now seamlessly connect shoreline tidepools to open grasslands, Garry oak habitat, rocky balds, mixed-age forest, and sweeping views of Haro Strait.
The completion of this project also marks a poignant moment in this two-decade story. Jean Walkinshaw passed away on April 13, 2026, at the age of 99—just weeks after seeing the vision she helped set in motion fully realized. In addition to her legacy as a documentarian, she leaves behind an enduring gift to the San Juan Islands: the long-term protection of an extraordinary, interconnected landscape for the benefit of people, plants, and wildlife.
What Happens Next
With Mt. Ben West Preserve now secured, the Preservation Trust is entering the next phase of ongoing stewardship. Planned efforts over the coming years include:
- Restoration of native habitats, including Garry oak savannahs
- Ongoing forest health management
- Planning and design of a future public trail system
- Removal of existing structures on the property
- Future Public Access
Mt. Ben West Preserve is not yet open to the public. Access is anticipated in 2028, following a careful planning process in collaboration with the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank to develop a trail connecting adjacent public lands.
The San Juan Preservation Trust extends its sincere gratitude to all who contributed to making this vision a reality. Updates on our progress will be shared as work moves forward. Visit www.sjpt.org to sign up for email updates.
About the San Juan Preservation Trust:
The San Juan Preservation Trust (www.sjpt.org), founded in 1979, is a private, nonprofit, nationally accredited land trust dedicated to helping people and communities conserve land in the San Juan archipelago of Washington State.
Together, with landowner partners and members/supporters, the Preservation Trust permanently protects more than 300 properties, 50 miles of shoreline, 25 miles of trails, and over 19,000 acres on 22 islands, including land now managed as public parks, nature preserves, wildlife habitat, and working farms and forests.
The Preservation Trust—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization—is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and employs approximately 26 full- and part-time staff. SJPT headquarters are in Friday Harbor, WA. Financial support comes from the charitable contributions of some 3,000 individuals, families, and private foundations.
