Prairie Appreciation Month

May is Prairie Appreciation Month, and we have a lot of appreciation to share for the prairies in Thurston County.

When my great-great grandfather Ignatius Colvin arrived here in 1849, he found rich native prairies and grass as high as a horse’s belly. For five generations, my family has continued his legacy through our stewardship of the land while raising the highest-quality beef to feed local families.

Today, less than 3% of those native prairies remain. But where they still exist, they continue to fulfill multiple roles in our community.

Thurston county’s prairies provide wildlife habitat for threatened and endangered species. They provide environmental benefits by sequestering carbon and filtering water in critical aquifer recharge areas. They provide opportunities for recreation, and the intangible benefits that come from witnessing the beauty of open spaces and dark night skies. 

Many of these same prairies are also working agricultural lands that contribute to a strong local food system, provide jobs, and support families. 

In all these ways, prairies serve as a connection between people and nature. They are the link between our past and our future.

People have cared for these prairies for thousands of years, long before my great-great grandfather arrived here, and their bounty has fed countless generations. This is our shared heritage as residents in Thurston county, and our legacy as a community. It is therefore our shared responsibility to ensure that this legacy carries forward so that the generations that follow have the opportunity to tend to these lands and benefit from all that the prairies have to offer.