The Ozette Prairies of Olympic National Park - Natural Resources ...
The Ozette Prairies of Olympic National Park - Natural Resources ... The Ozette Prairies of Olympic National Park - Natural Resources ...
Figure 6. The swamp gentian (Gentiana douglasiana), a plant (with sensitive status) used for nectar by the Makah copper. #313. Photograph by Fred Sharpe, 2007. 9 The delicate and sensitive swamp gentian, which naturalist Archibald Menzies painted on his botanical trip to the Northwest Coast of America with Captain George Vancouver in spring of 1792, occurs in boggy areas of the Ozette Prairies and its sweet nectar is sought out by one of the sensitive animal species of the wetlands—the rare Makah copper butterfly. Besides the swamp gentian, the adult butterflies also may gather nectar on great burnet (Sanguisorba), forget-me-not (Myosotis), a native Hypericum, a species of Galium, a small Epilobium, and a white mint (R. Pyle and T. Pyle 2001). (See Figure 7). The Makah copper is a narrow endemic found on the Ozette Prairies and the North Bay bogs in Grays Harbor County. It is closely related to the Mariposa copper (Lycaena mariposa), but different enough to be described as a separate taxon. It is distinguishable from other coppers by a diagnostic pattern of light scales of the ventral hind wing organized into dramatic, almost silvery orbs between the veins (Pyle 2002:186). The larva feed on bog cranberry in the Ozette Prairies, but since only one egg has been found on this plant, more studies need to be done to better document the larval food plants of this butterfly. It is a State Candidate in Washington, and a Federal Species of Concern (Pyle 2002:186; R. Pyle and T. Pyle 2000). The Makah copper and another butterfly, the Ozette skipper, are both sun worshipers, nectaring on plants that are in full sun in the heat of the day, when their main predators— birds—are least active (Peterson 1992:xiii). The Ozette skipper is a variation of the woodland skipper (Ochlodes sylvannoides) and is 2-3 cm. across. It is composed of blotchy patterns of yellow, orange and tan. It is still being studied to see if it warrants taxonomic distinction in the form of separate subspecific recognition (R. Pyle and T. Pyle 2001). Grasses and sedges are potential host plants to the skippers. Even less is known about the life cycle of the Ozette skipper. Open habitats on the Olympic Peninsula are known to Figure 7. Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), a plant used for nectar by the Makah copper. Photograph by Fred Sharpe, 2007.
e important nesting sites for some ground nesting birds, as well as for cavity nesters that prefer snags in areas with more sunlight than the dense forest. Although bird inventories have not been conducted on the Ozette Prairies, they may be host to some cavity and ground nesters not found in the heart of the coniferous forests. These would be such birds as horned larks, western yellow throats, western bluebirds, and Lewis’s woodpeckers (Fred Sharpe pers. comm. 2007). Role of the Ozette Prairies in the Life of the Makah The Ozette Prairies were useful to the culture and economy of the Makah, the native people who occupied the Ozette and the Cape Flattery region before settlement by Europeans and Asians in the mid- 1800s. Although the Makah made much of their living from the sea, fishing and hunting marine mammals, they depended on the land for a large portion of their food and much of the material they used for clothing, shelter, tools, implements, and ritual objects. Due to their biodiversity and openness, the Ozette Prairies provided the habitat that supported many of the plants and animals from which food and material were derived. Extensive permanent occupation of the Ozette Village and its surroundings began approximately 2,000 years ago (Croes and Blinman 1980; Wessen 1984; Samuels and Daugherty 1991:11). Archeological evidence reveals that the food procurement strategies and technologies, basketry and cordage manufacturing styles, and woodworking techniques remained stable over the period of occupation, suggesting 2,000 years of cultural continuity (Wessen 1990; Croes 1977). Occupation of the northeastern Olympic Peninsula began as early as 11,000 BP at the Manis Mastodon Site near Sequim. The only limiting factor for early occupation of the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula was glacial ice that retreated over 12,000 years ago (Dave Conca pers. comm. 2008). Chronometrically dated archeological deposits on the northwestern part of the peninsula are much later with clear occupation dated around 4,560+/- 80 years B.P. on what is now the Makah Indian Reservation (Dave Conca pers. comm. 2008) and 2,500 years ago at the mouth of the Hoko River (Croes and Blinman 1980). Non-chronometrically dated sites in the vicinity of Lake Ozette have been linked to occupations as early as 5,000- 8,000 B.P. based on artifacts style but as of yet have not been substantiated by radiocarbon dating (Conca 2000). Further research in this region will probably push back the limits of human occupation in the Ozette area into the mid to early Holocene, about 4,000 to 8,000 years ago (Dave Conca pers. comm. 2008). 10
- Page 1 and 2: The Ozette Prairies of Olympic Nati
- Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents List of Figures .
- Page 5 and 6: Figure 35. 1895 Plat Map highlighti
- Page 7 and 8: Acknowledgments The conception for
- Page 9 and 10: many obscure references. Many other
- Page 11 and 12: Figure 1. View of Ahlstrom’s Prai
- Page 13 and 14: Until recently, we were limited by
- Page 15 and 16: zones between forest and prairie).
- Page 17: The drier east-facing slopes have c
- Page 21 and 22: to the sea to the north of Cape Ala
- Page 23 and 24: 1928, notes that “tuberculosis an
- Page 25 and 26: Table 1. Timeline for Major Events
- Page 27 and 28: a significant part of the Makah’s
- Page 29 and 30: oxes, spoons, and bowls. Mature con
- Page 31 and 32: Figure 16. T.T. Waterman map. #22 a
- Page 33 and 34: It is possible that the Ozettes vis
- Page 35 and 36: in the wet areas, and salal berries
- Page 37 and 38: Species Uses Plant Part Location Be
- Page 39 and 40: Species Uses Plant Part Location Ti
- Page 41 and 42: 32 were small, but they were in abu
- Page 43 and 44: I still gather them [the leaves] ev
- Page 45 and 46: The Makah harvested the leaves of c
- Page 47 and 48: Born on February 2, 1926, eighty-th
- Page 49 and 50: She arrived early enough on the Mak
- Page 51 and 52: Prairie was not surveyed (see Table
- Page 53 and 54: 44 Figure 35. 1895 Plat Map. Townsh
- Page 55 and 56: Figure 37. Bracken fern (Pteridium
- Page 57 and 58: 48 the [Ozette] prairies. They woul
- Page 59 and 60: Enhance productivity of above-groun
- Page 61 and 62: We do have some evidence that the O
- Page 63 and 64: happened “yearly or whenever it w
- Page 65 and 66: such as parent material, land form,
- Page 67 and 68: to advance onto the Ozette Prairies
Figure 6. <strong>The</strong> swamp gentian (Gentiana douglasiana), a plant (with<br />
sensitive status) used for nectar by the Makah copper. #313. Photograph<br />
by Fred Sharpe, 2007.<br />
9<br />
<strong>The</strong> delicate and sensitive swamp<br />
gentian, which naturalist Archibald Menzies<br />
painted on his botanical trip to the Northwest<br />
Coast <strong>of</strong> America with Captain George Vancouver<br />
in spring <strong>of</strong> 1792, occurs in boggy areas <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Ozette</strong> <strong>Prairies</strong> and its sweet nectar is sought out<br />
by one <strong>of</strong> the sensitive animal species <strong>of</strong> the wetlands—the<br />
rare Makah copper butterfly. Besides<br />
the swamp gentian, the adult butterflies also<br />
may gather nectar on great burnet (Sanguisorba),<br />
forget-me-not (Myosotis), a native Hypericum, a<br />
species <strong>of</strong> Galium, a small Epilobium, and a white<br />
mint (R. Pyle and T. Pyle 2001). (See Figure 7).<br />
<strong>The</strong> Makah copper is a narrow endemic found on the <strong>Ozette</strong> <strong>Prairies</strong> and the North Bay bogs in<br />
Grays Harbor County. It is closely related to the Mariposa copper (Lycaena mariposa), but different enough<br />
to be described as a separate taxon. It is distinguishable from other coppers by a diagnostic pattern <strong>of</strong><br />
light scales <strong>of</strong> the ventral hind wing organized into dramatic, almost silvery orbs between the veins (Pyle<br />
2002:186). <strong>The</strong> larva feed on bog cranberry in the <strong>Ozette</strong> <strong>Prairies</strong>, but since only one egg has been found<br />
on this plant, more studies need to be done to better document the larval food plants <strong>of</strong> this butterfly. It<br />
is a State Candidate in Washington, and a Federal Species <strong>of</strong> Concern (Pyle 2002:186; R. Pyle and T. Pyle<br />
2000).<br />
<strong>The</strong> Makah copper and another butterfly, the <strong>Ozette</strong><br />
skipper, are both sun worshipers, nectaring on plants that are<br />
in full sun in the heat <strong>of</strong> the day, when their main predators—<br />
birds—are least active (Peterson 1992:xiii). <strong>The</strong> <strong>Ozette</strong> skipper is<br />
a variation <strong>of</strong> the woodland skipper (Ochlodes sylvannoides) and<br />
is 2-3 cm. across. It is composed <strong>of</strong> blotchy patterns <strong>of</strong> yellow,<br />
orange and tan. It is still being studied to see if it warrants taxonomic<br />
distinction in the form <strong>of</strong> separate subspecific recognition<br />
(R. Pyle and T. Pyle 2001). Grasses and sedges are potential host<br />
plants to the skippers. Even less is known about the life cycle <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Ozette</strong> skipper.<br />
Open habitats on the <strong>Olympic</strong> Peninsula are known to<br />
Figure 7. Great burnet (Sanguisorba <strong>of</strong>ficinalis), a<br />
plant used for nectar by the Makah copper. Photograph<br />
by Fred Sharpe, 2007.
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