JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Volunteers, professional biologists and interns from the Directorate of Public Works Fish and Wildlife Internship program at Joint Base Lewis-McChord celebrated National Public Lands Day Sept. 23 by restoring a critical butterfly habitat at Clear Creek prairie.
DPW officials worked side-by-side with the volunteers to clear invasive species potentially outcompeting native species. The restored area gives the endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly space to expand their habitat.
The work supported JBLM’s Fish and Wildlife Program’s mission to “protect, maintain and enhance the various ecosystems on the installation to promote native biodiversity and support the military mission” and educated volunteers about JBLM’s diverse ecosystem. JBLM contains the largest amount of historic glacial outwash prairies, making up 95 percent of the total 5 percent that remains.
Garry oak woodlands, Ponderosa pine savannahs, and several wetlands are also found within JBLM. In western Washington, these habitats are rare and therefore provide critical areas for wildlife diversity. For the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly, the team was able to remove approximately half a mile of Scoth broom from ditches surrounding the area that was treated by prescribed burn. The newly cleared area should provide the open prairie and grassland needed for the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly to expand its habitat.
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single day volunteering event for public lands. Parks, conservation areas, refuges, preserves, forests, monuments, historic sites, battlefields, and various other recreational areas are part of the 640 million acres of publicly owned lands. Since 1994, this day has brought together volunteers in government owned green spaces or protected areas of undeveloped landscape that are part of the public domain. JBLM Fish and Wildlife’s goal is not only to provide restoration and needed upkeep to the training lands but also to celebrate the connection between people and green spaces, inspire environmental stewardship and encourage the use of these spaces for education, health benefits and recreation.
Efforts like these support JBLM’s Sustainability goals for training lands. These goals are to assist in the recovery of all listed and candidate federal species in the South Puget Sound Region and to maintain the ability of JBLM to meet current and future military missions without compromising the integrity of natural and cultural resources both on the installation and regionally.
With support from JBLM Fish and Wildlife, Forestry, their interns and committed volunteers, it is possible to keep these green spaces healthy and available for future missions and future generations. More information on participating in a JBLM internship can be found at https://home.army.mil/lewis-mcchord/index.php/my-Joint-Base-Lewis-Mcchord/all-services/public_works-environmental_division/jblm-fish-and-wildlife/jblm-fish-and-wildlife-volunteering.
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