Lacamas Prairie Natural Area
Lacamas Prairie Natural Area Preserve protects sensitive and one of a kind ecosystems, and is used only for research, guided tours, and educational outings.
Lacamas Prairie
This combined natural area preserve (NAP) and natural resources conservation area (NRCA) protects the best known remnant of the Willamette Valley wet prairie ecosystem in Washington. Lacamas Prairie Natural Area also protects one of the largest populations of Bradshaw’s lomatium, which is federally listed as “endangered”. The site also protects populations of five other rare plant species. The prairie remnant occurs in a native valley landscape mosaic with Oregon white oak woodland and Oregon ash wetland forest. The NAP and NRCA combined currently include 211 acres.
Features Protected: Bradshaw’s lomatium, Oregon coyote-thistle, Hall’s aster, dense sedge, Nuttall’s quillwort, small-flowered trillium, Willamette Valley wet prairie, and Oregon white oak woodland
Ecoregion: Puget Trough (Clark County)
Ecoregion: Puget Trough (Clark County)
Science, Research and Monitoring
Examples of Research and Monitoring Projects
- Annual population monitoring for Bradshaw’s Lomatium and other rare plants
- Ecological Integrity Assessment of Willamette Valley Wet Prairie in response to habitat management
Public and private universities, other research institutions and individual researchers may contact DNR to propose a research project at the site. If you are interested in pursuing research at Lacamas Prairie Natural Area, please contact David Wilderman, natural areas ecologist, at david.wilderman@dnr.wa.gov.
Environmental Education and Public Access
Currently no formal educational programs are available at Lacamas Prairie Natural Area. The site is not ADA accessible and facilities are not available. For more information, contact the DNR Pacific Cascade Region natural areas manager.