Tours offered of native prairie

Whidbey Camano Land Trust will open the Naas Natural Area Preserve for public tours for the first time.

The prairie, located in Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve near Coupeville, will be open Saturday, May 31 for three guided walks.

The walking tours, led by Mark Sheehan, a botanist and Naas project manager, are a rare chance for the public to visit the Naas Preserve and learn about prairies and the restoration work being done at the site.

While Whidbey once enjoyed as many as 8,000 acres of prairie, less than 1 percent remains, which includes the 33-acre Naas Natural Area Preserve, where golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) grows naturally. The preserve is one of 11 places left in the world where it grows.

The walks will take place at

10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; preregistration is required.

For information or to register, call 222-3310 or visit www.wclt.org.

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