Elk Prairie Vegetation Restoration Efforts 1986-1990

Redwood National Park

Elk Prairie, an important feature of Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, is a natural feature modified directly and indirectly by human use patterns in post-settlement times. The 125 acre (50 ha) prairie is bisected by [the Drury Parkway]. Elk Prairie has been known as Boyes Prairie and Big Prairie in times past. The [Prairie] is within the Prairie Creek drainage, a 40 mi2 (100 km2) watershed tributary to Redwood Creek which flows to the sea near Orick. The Prairie Creek watershed lies within the youthful river transported deposits of the Gold Bluff Formation, originally derived from the Klamath mountains. The prairie itself (elevation 110-180ft), is an extensive stream terrace of reworked gold bluff formation on materials, probably at least 100,000 years of age. A.J. Harris obtained a patent from California for the [prairie] in 1900, and title records indicate he sold it in 1905 to George Boyes of Blue Lake…In 1923 Prairie Creek State Park was established by a 160 acre gift of forest land from the Joseph Russ family (about a mile north of the prairie). In 1932 the Save the Redwoods League bought the tract that included Boyes Prairie (286 acres) and other claims and timberlands and deeded the lands to the State of California…as part of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. In 1933, company 1903 of the Civilian conservation Corps was established and headquarters at Prairie Creek. The CCC members removed old structures, built the present [1987] park headquarters, constructed trails, did planting and “beautification” work. Their work ushered in the modern era for many parks, including Prairie Creek Redwoods, but the real increases in park use were delayed by World War II. The CCC camp itself, which consisted of 14 temporary buildings were removed when the CCC was disbanded in 1937. The prairie has been drained, but the drainage system is slowly failing, formerly wet areas are becoming wet again and sedge dominated vegetation is increasing. The margins of Elk Prairie are being invaded by shrubs and trees, especially along roads, ditches and fence lines where competition from grasses and the effects of browsing by elk are reduced. There features and other man-influenced alterations of the priairie have led to invasion by trees, which will slowly alter the historic appearance of the prairie. Redwood Trees along the park roadside ditch are growing rapidly, less than fifty years old, some exceed four feet in diameter and fifty feet in height. While non-native plants dominate the prairie vegetation, many native species are present or available for reintroduction as part of a resource management program designed to maintain the historic appearance of the prairie and enhance the native species components.

Elk Prairie Vegetation Restoration Efforts 1986-1990

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