The Nature Conservancy and its partners have been identifying suitable sites for establishing viable populations of golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) throughout Puget Sound as part of the Federal Recovery Plan for this species. In the last several years, thousands of plants have been outplanted at multiple locations in a coordinated project funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to evaluate whether nursery-grown plugs of this rare species can establish, survive, and reproduce. Preliminary results of outplanting efforts have been promising at many of the experimental sites. The most successful of these outplantings were associated with slightly more fertile soils. Establishing 20 new self-sustaining populations is a primary strategy necessary to reach the recovery of this species, listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. These results provide an indication many prairie sites within the historic range of this species may be suitable for restoring paintbrush populations, eventually helping get it removed from the Endangered Species List. The golden paintbrush recovery team expects to learn more as the existing outplantings are further monitored and new plants are established. To read Peter Dunwiddie's full reports, to go the technical documents page.

• CATHERINE LANGENFELD'S THESIS FOCUSES ON VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
  Catherine Langenfeld wrote her thesis for her Master's in Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College about the volunteers who work on the South Puget Sound prairies.  To read the full manuscript, go to the technical documents page. 
  
  The Value of Ecological Restoration Volunteer Programs: A Case Study in Western Washington State
  Catherine Langenfeld

   

  Localized, grassroots participation in ecological restoration has powerful social and environmental implications.  Successful volunteer programs enable participants to connect with their local natural environments.  Such connection creates feelings of ownership, dedication, and motivation to restore and protect the land.  Localized citizen advocacy is significant for professional environmental organizations and government agencies because participants’ efforts aid in an organization’s ability to achieve its conservation goals.  Ecological restoration and maintenance is an environmental initiative that often requires long-term dedication and commitment by numerous individuals.  Investment in volunteer programs is an effective method that land managers can use to foster long-term community stewardship, while accomplishing their restoration goals.   This thesis is focused upon the restoration efforts of the South Sound Prairie Volunteer Group, a group of local advocates who conduct prairie restoration work on public lands in western Washington, under the management of the professional environmental organization, The Nature Conservancy (TNC).  Through a case study of a grassroots volunteer movement, I explore how volunteer advocates have advanced local ecological restoration efforts.  I examine the experiences, values, and motivations that have led to long-term volunteer dedication.  In turn, I seek to illustrate the vast amount of work that dedicated citizen stewards accomplish for restoration-focused environmental initiatives.  Moreover, I contend that lessons derived from this single case study can provide beneficial guidance to other ecological restoration efforts.