Controlled Burn Due for Naas Preserve
For Release – September 24, 2008
Whidbey Camano Land Trust
Contact: Cheryl Lowe, Land Steward, (360) 222-3310
Island County, WA
The Whidbey Camano Land Trust is planning a controlled burn on a small portion of the Naas Natural Area Preserve south of Coupeville to help restore prairie habitat needed by the rare golden paintbrush plant.
The burn will cover less than one acre of the 33-acre preserve in Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. The burn is part of the Land Trust’s efforts to restore the original prairie and enhance habitat for the golden paintbrush, classified as a threatened species by the federal government
“Before settlement by the pioneers in the 1850s, fire was a major tool used by Native Americans to keep the prairies open,” said Cheryl Lowe of the Land Trust. “Studies on other Puget Sound prairies have shown that controlled burns significantly improve conditions for golden paintbrush and other native prairie vegetation.”
The Land Trust expects to conduct the burn in October but the actual date is difficult to predict more than a few days ahead because a number of conditions, including humidity and wind direction, must be met for the burn to occur safely. The conditions are specified in a burn plan approved by state and local agencies.
The burn will be conducted by experienced fire crews from The Nature Conservancy. A water truck and other appropriate equipment will be on site to prevent the fire from leaving the burn boundaries and to extinguish any embers. “Safety and smoke management are our top priorities for the burn,” said Lowe. “If safety and smoke management conditions can’t be met, we will not burn.” Weather can be unpredictable, so the burn may have to be postponed or cancelled at the last minute.
The prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. Prairies and oak woodlands were historically common in the Puget Sound region, but less than 1 percent remains of about 8,000 acres of prairie originally present on Whidbey Island. The Naas Preserve contains one of the largest prairie remnants left on the island. The Land Trust has been working with its conservation partners for several years to restore native grasses, sedges and wildflowers such as the golden paintbrush to this site. Many of these species have become uncommon or rare on Whidbey Island due the loss of prairie habitat and decades of fire prevention.
The Naas Natural Area Preserve was acquired by the Whidbey Camano Land Trust in 2005. For more information on the project, contact Cheryl Lowe at the Whidbey Camano Land Trust (360-222-3310 or cheryl@wclt.org).
The Whidbey Camano Land Trust protects Whidbey and Camano Islands’ most important natural habitats, scenic vistas, working farm and forest lands in partnership with landowners and our island communities.
