The County will work with stakeholders to define common messaging, identify strategies to manage wildlife/human interactions, and educate the public.
SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. August 28, 2025 – In an effort to manage interactions between island wildlife and the public, the County is hosting a series of community conversations. Pulling together a group of stakeholders including land managers, federal, state and local agency representatives, and community members, these conversations will provide an opportunity to define common messaging, identify strategies to manage wildlife/human interactions, and ways to educate the public.
Background
Many island residents have expressed concern about unlawful interactions between humans and wildlife over the years. Recently, locals have asked for Council guidance on the matter, prompting a series of meetings with local landowners and public land managers that culminated in a public presentation to Council on August 5, 2025.
During the presentation from Deputy County Manager Tillery Williams, the Council reviewed current examples of feeding and baiting wildlife – in particular, foxes on San Juan Island. The San Juan County Council discussed opportunities to support ongoing efforts to curtail inappropriate interactions with wildlife, focusing on education and outreach. The Council discussed the possibility of adopting an ordinance to more fully enforce wildlife restrictions, but noted a desire for additional outreach first.
Next Steps
At the August 5 meeting, Council directed staff to further engage with stakeholders by coordinating resources and continuing to collect public feedback. The stakeholder group that will be addressed includes public land managers and local landowners, representatives from the parks and environmental groups, representatives from the tourism industry and photographers, as well as other interested parties.
Members of the public are invited to provide comment or feedback on the topic by emailing communications@sanjuancountywa.gov. Please share any resources or examples the team may find helpful.
Targeted resource gathering and outreach will be conducted throughout the fall with a summary report anticipated early in 2026.
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