Nature

Third Lagoon is one of our rare and fragile ecosystems.

 

The diverse ecosystems of San Juan Island National Historical Park include coastal dunes, remnant native prairies and grasslands, rocky headlands and bluffs, wetlands and lagoons, mixed conifer forests, and Garry oak woodlands. These communities provide important habitat for species the park is obligated to manage and protect. These unique habitats host a wide diversity of plants and animals but also have a high level of fragility and sensitivity. Coastal native prairies in the park are of particular importance because they are both extremely rare (less than 3% are left in their historical range) and they provide habitat for imperiled species, including the endangered island marble butterfly. Native coastal sand dunes and Garry oak woodlands similarly represent at risk and rare habitat types that have been largely lost in the Pacific Northwest and are home to a host of unique plant and animal species.

Want to learn more about our unique ecosystems? Check out the recently completed Focus Condition Assessment that examines the current state of our environment. Also, you can learn about the endangered Island Marble Butterfly and park efforts to protect this species in this report.

 

 

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  Lagoons of San Juan Island

  Learn more about this special ecosystem

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  Coastal Dunes of San Juan Island

  Learn more about this fragile environment

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  Prairies and Grasslands of San Juan Isla

  Learn more about the life and environment of our prairies and grasslands