Onsite Restoration and Reconciliation
Prairie and Oak Savanna Restoration
Native prairies such as the one on PRI land once covered over 7,000 acres in the Puget Sound, but they are currently considered among the most endangered natural systems in the United States. Over 90% of these systems have been lost to tree and shrub invasion, agriculture and housing development. The area of prairie and oak systems in good ecological condition currently comprises less than 3% of the original area.
PRI is restoring prairie and oak habitats on PRI land and assists in the monitoring and restoration of sites around Whidbey Island. We have expanded our prairie from a 4-acre remnant to nearly 40 acres of prairie being actively restored.
For our Garry oak savannas, we are working with the Sound Water Stewards to grow the seedlings from acorns, planting, caging, weeding, watering, and mulching them. PRI has two savannas in progress, one on the north side of the property and one on the south side.
Learning Berm
Just feet away from the Lavendar Lane that connects the Granary and the Brooder building is our Learning Berm. Here visitors can sit and observe the different species found in our prairie. Like the prairie, the berm changes over the seasons and provides seeds for further restoration.
Some of the species found in our berm include camas (c̓abid, Camassia quamash), sea thrift (Armeria maritima), yarrow (šišəlc̓ac, Achillea millefolium), golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), showy daisy (Erigeron speciosus), woolly sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum), and Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis).
Food Sovereignty Garden
Historically, native peoples in the Puget Sound region have used controlled burns to maintain prairies for cultivating food plants. Access to traditional foods and means of production is vital to the capacity of native communities for cultural expression and self-determination, but access to Washington's dwindling prairie lands is limited. PRI is currently collaborating with tribal partners and the Coast Salish Youth Coalition to establish a food sovereignty garden where native communities will be able to grow and harvest traditional foods in a fitting ecological context.
The garden will cultivate an array of culturally significant edible native plants, including chocolate lily ( č̓aʔliq̓ʷ, Fritillaria affinis), camas (c̓abid, Camassia quamash), and bare-stemmed biscuit-root (x̌əx̌bid, Lomatium nudicaule).
Native Plant Center
The PRI Native Plant Center includes our native plant nursery beds, greenhouse and shade area.
We produce up to 30 species of bareroot or potted live plants, seeds, bulbs and rhizomes.
Our North Sound Golden Paintbrush Nursery is where we grow plants from all parts of the North Puget Sound together, to facilitate out-crossing and genetic vigor. The golden paintbrush plant (Castilleja levisecta) was listed on the Endangered Species List as threatened in the State of Washington from 1997-2023. PRI has one of the largest and most rapidly expanding populations in existence.
We sell native plants, bulbs, seeds and rhizomes to federal and state agencies, and private institutions and organizations, as well as private landowners.
