Scatter Creek Unit, Protected prairie area in Thurston County, Washington, US
Scatter Creek Unit covers 960 acres of prairie wetlands and forests split into North and South sections, each with its own parking area and trail network. The landscape includes open grasslands mixed with wooded areas and water features that visitors can explore on foot.
The Scatter Creek Unit's South site occupies the former Miller-Brewer homestead. A brush fire in August 2017 burned about 345 acres there, destroying a historic home and barn; the cause was thought to be human activity. Restoration was estimated to take years and cost up to $1 million, and the WDFW shifted its September 2017 pheasant release toward the south parcel to offset the loss.
Indigenous people of the region harvested wildflowers and hunted game on these prairies and set fires to keep them open grassland. Settlers later plowed the land into farms and stopped the burning. Restoration began in the mid-1990s, and volunteer groups now clear invasive Scotch broom from the prairie.
Each section has its own parking area, and visitors should stay on marked trails while respecting private property boundaries around the site. Wearing sturdy footwear is recommended since paths cross through wet meadows and wooded terrain.
The South site stands on the former Miller-Brewer homestead, and a brush fire in August 2017 burned about 345 acres there, destroying a historic home and barn. The cause was thought to be human activity, and restoration was estimated to take years and cost up to $1 million.
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