Science & Research

San Juan Island National Historical Park staff collect island marble butterfly eggs that will be reared into adult butterflies in the on-site butterfly rearing facility.

Courtesy Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife / Julie Combs

Science—at a national historical park?

In addition to archeological sites, cultural landscapes, and historic structures, the park protects a stunning diversity of living ecosystems. Rare coastal dunes, natural lagoons and wetlands, and remnant native prairies, as well as mixed conifer forests, Garry oak savanna, and vibrant intertidal zones—all packed into just 3.3 square miles across two park units. Scientific research is key to understanding and protecting these ecosystems. Many, like the prairies in the park’s American Camp unit, have been managed and cared for by Coast Salish people since time immemorial.

Today as always, stewardship requires knowledge of a place. In a time when climate change, rises in visitation, and invasive species are leaving marks on San Juan Island, scientists are asking: What changes are we observing? How much change is normal?

Like a doctor tracking a patient’s pulse, NPS scientists monitor ecological “vital signs” in San Juan Island National Historical Park and throughout the North Coast & Cascades Network. Sensitive ecological indicators monitored on the island include intertidal communities, bird populations, and climate variables.

Park scientists also conduct a wide range of research in collaboration with tribal, state, and federal agencies; universities; and other park partners. Rare plant and animal inventories, surveys for white-nose syndrome in bats, and collaborations with tribes to identify culturally significant plants all help us better understand the park—how to care for it.

Active stewardship and conservation work builds on this foundation of knowledge. Park staff are restoring habitat for the endangered island marble butterfly and other imperiled species, removing invasive plants and those that encroach on open spaces, and reducing potential wildfire fuels while also rehabilitating rare plant communities. As we move into a future beyond historical climate norms, scientific study will continue to give us the tools to be informed stewards of this diverse and complex place.

 

 

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Published Science Reports

 

 

More Reports and Publications

The NPS DataStore archives studies and reports by park scientists or produced in collaboration with the NPS. Some reports below are part of the NPS Natural Resource Report Series or Science Report Series and are only published in the DataStore. Explore scientific journals and databases to find studies by researchers unaffiliated with the park.
To learn more or request information, please contact the North Coast & Cascades Research Learning Center.

Source: Data Store Saved Search 5324 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

 

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Park Species List

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

Select a Park:

San Juan Island National Historical Park

Select a Species Category (optional):

All Amphibians Birds Fish Mammals Reptiles Vascular Plants

Get Checklist Get Full List List Differences

Species attribute definitions

Search results will be displayed here.

Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.