Submitted by the San Juan Island NHP and San Juan Island Public Library

San Juan Island National Historical Park and the San Juan Island Public Library are pleased to announce the return of our popular collaborative “Nature Matters” series. These series of interactive programs have been a well-attended educational initiative since 2020. In the past year, they have proven so popular that a second series, “Hidden Histories” has been added that deals with major international historical moments and how they impacted the San Juan Islands. Park staff have delivered 15 programs, dealing with topics as diverse as The Secret Life of Trees and Echoes of the Opium War, allowing interested people to gain specialized knowledge about topics related to park history, culture, ecosystems, and wildlife. These library programs are part of our commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the peaceful resolution of the San Juan Island boundary dispute. Future events include the opening of our new American Camp Visitor Center in July and the Encampment Living History Weekend in August.

The first “Nature Matters” program of 2022 will be on Wednesday, June 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The program focuses on “Exploring Dirt, Soil, and What Makes it so Important.” Visitors will learn “What is dirt? Is it the same as soil? How does dirt or soil work, what role does it play in the circle of life? Join us as we dish some dirt on our local soils, their status’, and why understanding dirt holds the master key to life on planet earth” The series will run for the next four months on a monthly basis and will be available online at the library website after it airs. If you are interested, email sbenson@sjlib.org to participate. We greatly appreciate the warm reception these programs have had and look forward to extensive future collaborations between our national park and the library.