Area: 104 acres
Location: Thurston County, WA
Date Acquired: 2014
Acquisition Type: Center for Natural Lands Management owns the preserve. We protect and manage species and habitats on the preserve in perpetuity.
Key Habitats: Prairie and Oak Woodland.
Species of Special Interest to CNLM: Mazama pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama), Taylor’s checkerspot (Euphydryas editha taylori), golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), and the Western Pond Turtle (Clemmys marmorata).
Conservation Significance
The Violet Prairie-Scatter Creek Preserve contains 104 acres in unincorporated Thurston County, WA. The majority of the Preserve is comprised of open grasslands, which were historically used for livestock grazing and related activities. An intact Oregon white oak stand lines Scatter Creek which runs through the property.
Our Work
The Preserve was created to protect and restore rare prairie habitat. The Preserve protects a population of the Mazama pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama), a federally-threatened species, as well as an intact stand of Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana). The Preserve will be restored to support the (federally) endangered Taylor’s checkerspot (Euphydryas
editha taylori) and may also provide suitable habitat for golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) – a federally-threatened species as well as the western pond turtle (Clemmys marmorata) – a state endangered species. There are coho, steelhead, and sea-run cutthroat in Scatter Creek.
The prairie restoration process on the Preserve will involve a range of management techniques including preparing the habitat for direct seeding with a combination of tilling, directed cattle grazing, targeted and broad-based herbicide, and prescribed fire application. The prepared sites will be direct seeded with a diversity of native prairie plants, all derived from the seed farm. In addition, CNLM will monitor the rare and listed species and habitat on-site to help identify threats and population changes.
Public Access
Because of the vulnerability of the species and habitats that exist on this preserve, it is not open to the public. However, CNLM offers field tours as well as volunteer work days on the Preserve.
Contact
For more information on Violet Prairie-Scatter Creek Preserve or Center for Natural Lands Management please contact Sanders Freed, Pacific Northwest Preserve/Restoration Manager at sfreed@cnlm.org or 760.731.7790 extension 304.
For volunteer opportunities please contact: Volunteer Coordinator at ssvolunteers@cnlm.org