Novel plant communities and partnerships: creative strategies for habitat conservation and restoration in western Washington prairies
Sarah Hamman, Ph.D. Center for Natural Lands Management Western WA Prairies
History: – Formed by retreating glaciers – Maintained by indigenous burning and food harvests – Gravelly, well-drained, low nutrient soils – Host several rare, threatened and endangered species Photo: Chris Junck Photo: Joe Rocchio
Photo: Sarah Hamman Photo: Rod Gilbert Threats
Conifer and non-native invasion Altered fire regime
Habitat fragmentation
How can we conserve and restore biodiversity to the WPG prairies and oak woodlands? Historically:Protected Preserves • 2,088,040 acres of prairie and oak woodland throughout Ecoregion • Continuous habitat
Currently: • 40,000 acres of prairie and oak woodland throughout Ecoregion • Fragmented, low- quality remnants • Largest remaining prairie is on Joint Base Lewis-McChord Restoration Process
1. Invasive species removal
2. Site preparation
1. Native habitat enhancement Road to success for rare species
Golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) • Close to reaching recovery goals
Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori) • Five new reintroduced populations
Streaked horned lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata) • Populations steadily increasing on JBLM Protected Preserves
Photo: Ty Smedes High intensity rotational grazing
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Sustainably graze, ‘Rest’ pastures, Sustainably graze, moving cattle completely moving cattle every 1-2 days. removing cattle every 1-2 days. Maintain stubble while native plants Maintain stubble height ~3 inches bloom and set seed height ~3 inches
Conservation Grazing
• Ecological – evaluate effects on plant community, productivity, butterfly behavior, pocket gopher activity
• Economic – quantify costs/benefits associated with shift in practice
• Social – collect input from farmers & ranchers on incentive programs that they need to implement conservation grazing practices Photo: Mason McKinley Camas Taxonomy and Ecology Common camas: Camassia quamash, Great camas: Camassia leichtlinii
• Asparagaceae family (formerly Liliaceae family) • Perennial forb that grows from an edible bulb • Found in prairies throughout WPG Ecoregion • Flowers April – June • Important resource plant for at least 57 insect species (ants, bees, beetles, flies, wasps, earwigs) Camas Harvest
• One of the most important root foods for western North American Indigenous peoples • Second only to salmon in terms trade value • Bulbs were (are) pit-cooked for 24-36 hours to fully transform inulin to fructose.
Lyons and Ritchie 2017. J. of Ethnobiology Camas Prairie Cultural Ecosystems Project
• Funded by UW Center for Creative Conservation • Encompasses perspectives and sources of knowledge outside of standard western science Goal of the Program
• Collaborate to develop a transdisciplinary teaching and research program for western Washington prairies, focused on biocultural diversity conservation Camas Prairie Cultural Ecosystems Project
• Teaching curricula – GRUB Tend, Gather, Grow Program creating curricula focused on culturally important plant species
• Harvesting Access – WDFW, WDNR working with Tribes to create regional map of accessible harvesting sites
• Harvesting effects – Tribal partners harvesting throughout western WA and young indigenous scientists monitoring effects on prairie community Partnerships for prairie conservation
• Think beyond conservation preserve model • Create opportunities for collaborative, transdisciplinary partnerships that provide reciprocal benefits • Recognize cultural values in addition to ecological values of the conservation landscape Questions? Comments?
For more information: [email protected] www.southsoundprairies.org www.cascadiaprairieoak.org