It’s Wildflower Season!

This is a special time of year in the shrub-steppe that many of us look forward to. It’s wildflower time!

Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (CCC) lands are home to some beautiful and rare plants, including Hoover’s biscuitroot, or lomatium lithosolamans. We have Hoover’s biscuitroot to thank for the initial protection of land in the Cowiche Canyon Uplands. The Bureau of Land Management decided to permanently protect their holdings in the area when this plant was found growing there. Eventually, the Uplands were designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern to lend protection for this species’ habitat.

To protect Hoover’s biscuitroot in addition to the many other native species growing on CCC lands, we ask that people take special care to stay on trails and keep their pets on the trail as well. We also ask that you refrain from picking wildflower bouquets. We know it’s tempting to take home a beautiful memento, but keep in mind that each time you pick a wildflower, you’re limiting the chance for that species to reproduce. Plus, our native wildflowers tend to wilt very quickly, and you’ll likely find that by the time you get home, your bouquet has already faded. We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy a diverse array of wildflowers year after year.

We also want to acknowledge that native plants are culturally important to the Yakama Nation. The Yakama Nation has stewarded our shrub-steppe landscape for thousands of years, and CCC respects the right of tribal members to continue their cultural practices, including gathering plants, on lands currently owned by CCC.