I'm afraid that the old Lacey clear-cut will never be the same. Most of it
has been torn up and leveled for a new Target regional distribution center.
Other neighboring parcels of land are also slated for development.

The clear-cut was truly a special place, despite its outward appearance.
One wouldn't expect that a big clear-cut, overgrown with Scots Broom and
brimming with illegally dumped refuse would have supported such diversity of
bird and insect life. I don't know what was there before the clear-cutting
happened, but I suspect that in addition to second-growth fir, there may
have been a fairly significant remnant of south sound prairie habitat,
possibly a Garry oak savannah. I base this suspicion on the continued
presence of oaks and open country wildflowers along the southern fringe of
the clear-cut. Shooting stars, chocolate lillys and camas could often be
found right out in the middle of the cut. Spirea wetlands ran through it,
and up until a few years ago, it was bordered by a large expanse of second
growth forest. I think the combination of habitats in close proximity
accounted for the variety of birds there.

I've been checking out similar locations in the Olympia area, trying to find
a spot that matches the clear-cut for bird density and diversity. Even
prime prairie sites like Weir Prairie, Glacial Heritage, and Scatter Creek
don't seem to have the concentration of open country birds that the
clear-cut supported. Maybe the Nature Conservancy needs to plant a little
Scots Broom ;-)

Eric Kraig
Olympia, WA
kraige at oclc.org


Ruth Sullivan wrote:

Hello Tweeters,
A few notes about the Lacy Clear Cut.This was a hotspot in the past.Many
good species was sighted there,including the first Dragonflies (the
California Darner Aeshna california')
Birds as the Northern Goshawk (sighted four times)Clay-colored Sparrow,Blue
Grouse,Vesper Sparrow and high count on Shipping Sparrows,and some years
Lazuli Bunting....
I wonder if any one have an insight of this developed land,and if it would
be possible to get an entrance to this on a later date.One good thing is
that there did not cut any trees sofar we can tell,only the Scotch Broom
what a lot of birds prefer as the Shipping Sparrows and other birds...