Conservation & Natural Areas
Natural Area Preserves, Natural Resources Conservation Areas & other lands in conservation
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Put some spring in your step on a wildflower tour at Camas Meadows NAP, on Saturday, June 23
Cat’s Ear got your tongue? Crazy for daisies? Does checkermallow make you mellow? Join DNR ecologist, Keyna Bugner, and members of the Native Plant Society for a fun and free day of hiking, exploration, and fantastic views at Camas Meadows… Continue reading
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DNR-manages DOC inmate crews to aid restoration of native turtle habitat in Columbia River Gorge
DNR-managed inmate work crews from the state Department of Corrections, Larch Corrections Center, Mountain Correctional Facility are playing a major role in important habitat restoration work that will aid the return of the native western Pacific pond turtle to more areas… Continue reading
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Natural Heritage Program earns ‘Best in the Americas’ award
John Gamon, Washington Natural Heritage Program manager, accepted the ‘Best in the Americas’ award on behalf of the Program for its outstanding achievements in science and technology during a ceremony at the annual Biodiversity Without Boundaries conference in Portland Oregon last week. Gamon received… Continue reading
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911 call helps catch suspected thieves at Woodard Bay NRCA
Visitors provide eyes and ears for protecting valuable natural areas Recently, an alert visitor noticed two men kicking in the door of the interpretive facility “skid shack” at Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area (NRCA). The visitor called 911. A… Continue reading
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Mount Si and Little Si trailheads and trails will reopen this Friday, March 9
Good news for fans of Mount Si: DNR will reopen the Little Si and Mount Si trailheads and trails at 8 a.m. this Friday, March 9. For public safety reasons, we closed the area on February 15 after a… Continue reading
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Removing the right trees can help restore damaged forests and streams
A DNR-managed inmate crew from Larch Correctional Camp was part of an effort to thin trees and do other restoration work at the DNR-managed Washougal Oaks Natural Area Preserve in southern Clark County last fall. The project is restoring fish and… Continue reading
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Crowberry Bog is an example of the many unique wetlands in Washington State
Crowberry Bog, on DNR-managed state trust land in western Jefferson County, is one of many unique wetland types in the state. The Washington Natural Heritage Program is conducting an inventory of this bog and other wetlands as part of a U.S. Environmental… Continue reading
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Volunteers pick up the trash from Dabob Bay Natural Area
DNR would like to thank volunteers and staff from The Nature Conservancy for helping clean up the beaches at Dabob Bay Natural Area and adjacent conservation areas on February 3. The crew collected 49 bags of trash, 36 tires, and a… Continue reading
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Fighting back after more than 50% of wetlands were destroyed
Today is World Wetlands Day and we are recognizing and celebrating these enormously varied and important ecosystems. Many used to be called ‘swamps’, and got a bad rap—despite the fact that they help prevent flooding by acting like sponges during… Continue reading
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Mima Mounds NAP public hearing tonight on proposed boundary expansion
In this KING 5 news footage of January 24, snow drifts on the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve landscape show off the contours of this mysterious geological feature. Most importantly, this grassland prairie is part of only three percent left… Continue reading