San Juan County Beach Watchers
WSU Beach Watchers
are trained volunteers who
promote science-based
marine stewardship through
education, research, public
awareness and example.
WSU Beach Watchers learning to become Land Bank Stewards
Beach Watchers are dedicated to protecting San Juan County's fragile environment through research-based public outreach. We love sharing our enthusiasm with others who want to know more about this beautiful place and join us in helping protect it.
WSU Beach Watchers doing a COASST Walk
Now Accepting Applications for
Beach Watcher 2008 Training!
Our next training series begins March, 2008. Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, alternating between Friday Harbor and on Orcas Island. They will be about 5 hours long, built around the inter-island ferry.
We'll be posting more about the classes in this space soon.
Are you the "right fit" to be a Beach Watcher?
Do you have some spare time you can devote to the training?
Do you have a passion for service or volunteering?
Do you want to do something positive for the islands?
Do you want to get to know some fellow marine enthusiasts?
Do you enjoy learning new things?
Do you want to help educate, protect or study the island environment?
If the answers are yes, you will enjoy this program!
You can download the 2008 application for the program here
What is the WSU Beach Watchers Program?
An exciting marine stewardship education program offered by WSU Extension San Juan County.
Based on the highly successful WSU Master Gardener Volunteer Program Format.
San Juan County graduated its first class of WSU Beach Watchers on
April 21, 2006 and the second class in April 2007.
How does it work?
Volunteers receive approximatelty 100 hours of training from Washington State University in the physical, biological, and cultural aspects of marine steward ship. In return trained Beach Watcher volunteers provide 100 hours of volunteer service back educating citizens and visitors in the community.
This is a new program in San Juan County, so there will be plenty of opportunity to bring your ideas and skills and help build the program you want.
Beach Watchers are non-regulatory and do not participate in enforcement of laws. We are committed to “educate and not regulate” as a means of promoting marine stewardship.
WSU Beach Watcher tagging logs containing creosote.
Why a marine stewardship program in the San Juan Islands?
All of San Juan County is now designated as a Marine Stewardship Area. There is an urgent need to educate residents about the fragile ecology of our beautiful islands’ shoreline and nearshore environment. WSU Beach Watchers will provide a group of highly trained volunteers to educate the community on the beaches, at marinas, on ferries, at parks and by request, to groups. Beach Watcher volunteers will also assist in research by collecting valuable data. WSU Beach Watchers work in cooperation with other local stewardship groups in order to provide needed activities and not duplicate other successful programs
What do Beach Watchers learn?
Beach Watcher volunteers receive University- level training in:
• Watersheds
• Shoreline Processes
• Intertidal Ecology
• Oil Spill Response
• Salmon and Fish Biology
• Native Cultural Resources
• Marine Mammals
• Marine Birds
• Oceanography and Tides
• Invasive Species
• Educational Dockwalks
• Marine Protected Areas in the San Juans
• Human Impacts
And much more….
What do Beach Watcher volunteers do?
• Interpret natural history and gather data on beaches and at the local national, state, and county parks.
• Provide outreach to boaters at participating marinas and ports.
• Sponsor educational programs and workshops in the community.
• Publish handbooks, newsletters, and website articles.
• Provide a Speaker's Bureau for marine related topics.
• Collect valuable data to assist in research projects.
• Contribute to marine stewardship projects such as identifying and destroying invasive marine species.
WSU Beach Watchers at Long LIve the Kings Natural Hatchery
What is the time commitment?
Volunteers must commit to attend all the training, though they may work with the coordinator to substitute alternative equivalent education. There will be 16 training days. Classes will be held two days per week for eight weeks in March and April, primarily on San Juan and Orcas Islands.
After your training you will provide 100 hours of community service over the next two years. There are lots of options and flexibility for setting your own volunteer schedule.
To see what we did last summer read our summary: Beach Watchers Activity Report for 2007
WSU Beach Watcher educating visitors at Lime Kiln State Park
How do I become a Beach Watcher volunteer?
Contact Shann Weston, Program Coordinator • sweston@wsu.edu
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