Prairie Appreciation Day, 30th Annual Event
FREE. Prairie Appreciation Day celebrates the critically endangered prairie ecosystem that once spanned hundreds of thousand acres from British Columbia to Northern California. Held at Glacial Heritage Preserve, Thurston County, the 1,000 acre venue is open to the public just this one day of the year. Geared to be family friendly, there are numerous educational booths and activities to teach about geology, plants, birds, pollinators, and ethnobotany of Western Washington prairies.
There is a 4 mile walking trail, a 1 mile activity trail, and a hay ride that takes riders around to see various aspects of prairie life. There is an early morning bird walk with information provided on recovery efforts of the Vesper Swallow, Great Horned Lark, and Bluebirds. Visitors will see nesting Ospreys, western Purple Martins, Bluebirds, and several species of swallow.
The terrain at Glacial Heritage Preserve is uneven and hilly. It is not suitable for strollers, and it is not considered handicapped accessible. An alternative to Glacial Heritage Preserve is Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve.
The gate opens at 10 am and closes for new visitors at 2 pm, allowing everyone to go through the Activity Stations before they shut down at 3 pm.
Prairie Appreciation Day is sponsored by Friends of Puget Prairies, a 501(c)3 organization. For more information: https://www.prairieappreciationday.org/
