Field & Fern was created to address the need for a greater understanding of the unique natural landscapes of the San Juan Islands. Our mission is to provide landowners and other current island dwellers with a deeper knowledge of the native species that also call this place home.
Past & Current Projects ~ Our Field Notes
Rare paper birch/cedar forest on Guemes Island.
Guemes Island Paper Birch Forest Restoration Planning
Expecting to come across a severely degraded, heavily- logged property on Guemes, we discovered a rare forest community of paper birch and western red cedar. This has been a fascinating project in order to better understand how past disturbance to this site has maintained a globally rare suite of species that are not often found growing in the same place. Through site assessments, invasive species management, and a more detailed inventory of the location, age, and density of the paper birch trees, Field & Fern, along with Peter Dunwiddie, are helping to guide the stewardship of this rare forest type into the future.
An island marble butterfly that just hatched! This phase of the caterpillar’s life is called “first instar.” This little one is starting out its life as a caterpillar on a juicy cluster of Brassica rapa buds— its preferred host plant.
Monitoring Rare Butterflies
The island marble butterfly is an endangered species that is only known to occur on San Juan Island. It needs all the help it can get. We are working with the San Juan Preservation Trust to monitor their patches of host plants specifically planted for the benefit of the butterfly. Meaning, we get to go look for butterflies, eggs, and caterpillars and call it “work.”