Restoring Native Prairies

The windswept landscapes on San Juan Island offer some of the last remnants of native prairies. As Europeans settled into the Pacific Northwest, most prairies were converted into farms and homesteads. At San Juan Island National Historical Park, resource managers are attempting to restore the prairie ecosystem by replacing exotic plant species with native vegetation. This effort benefits not only the plants and animals on the island, but will one day offer visitors a sweeping, unspoiled panorama of Puget Sound as it once existed, hundreds of years ago.

Executive Producers: Jerry Freilich and Michael Liang, NPS
Director, Editor, Producer: Donald Jay O'Brien
Director of Photography: Eric Rejman
Music: Thomas Owens