The National Park Service, San Juan Island Conservation Corps and Oregon Museum of Science and Industry are working this summer to reduce trees and woody vegetation encroaching on prairie and other land at American Camp. The Parks Service calls the work its long-term Cultural Landscape Restoration plan.

The park will be removing a stand of about 170 young Douglas firs that have encroached on the prairie southeast of the Redoubt.

In addition to removing the Douglas firs, the park will also be focusing restoration efforts on the historic spring near South Beach. Selective thinning of the vegetation around the spring will stabilize this important feature of the park and help preserve its integrity, the Parks Service notes in a press release.

The overall plan involves reducing woody vegetation (Nootka Rose, Douglas Fir, English Hawthorn, snowberry) on approximately 350 acres by mechanical methods. Because of the large area extensive encroachment, a variety of methods will be utilized, including hand pulling, mechanical removal of woody material and prescribed fire.

To learn more about the cultural landscape at American Camp, visit: www.nps.gov/sajh/parkmgmt/upload/American-Camp-CLI-2004.pdf.

For more information or to learn how you can help, call 360-378-2240 ext. 2224 or email Jerald_Weaver@nps.gov at San Juan Island National Historical Park.