Yellow Island
Encyclopedia
Yellow Island, one of the San Juan Islands
, is an 11 acres (4.5 ha) island, located south-west of Orcas Island
, and north of Shaw Island
, near Jones Island State Park
, in San Juan County, Washington, United States
. The island is home to a wide array of flora
and fauna
, including over 50 species of wildflowers, Bald Eagles, Harbor Seal
s, Black Oystercatchers
, and Harlequin Duck
s. The island was purchased in 1979 by The Nature Conservancy
, and is administered as a nature preserve.
for harvesting plant foods such as the roots of the Camas
flower. Intentional burning was a method used to keep the tree population in check, helping to maintain the prairies
needed for the Camas flowers. The island was bought by Lewis and Elizabeth Dodd in 1947, and then sold in 1979 to The Nature Conservancy
, and is administered as a nature preserve.
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
, is an 11 acres (4.5 ha) island, located south-west of Orcas Island
Orcas Island
Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juan Islands, which are located in the northwestern corner of Washington state in San Juan County, Washington.-History:...
, and north of Shaw Island
Shaw Island
Shaw Island is the smallest of the four San Juan Islands served by the Washington State Ferries. The island has a land area of 19.952 km² and a small year-round population of 240 , with only a slight increase during tourist season. The Wilkes Expedition, in 1841, named the island after John Shaw,...
, near Jones Island State Park
Jones Island State Park
Jones Island State Park is coterminous with Jones Island, one of the San Juan Islands in San Juan County, Washington, USA. It is located one mile west of the southwestern corner of Orcas Island and accessible only by boat. The park features a dock and space for 21 campsites. The island has a land...
, in San Juan County, Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The island is home to a wide array of flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
, including over 50 species of wildflowers, Bald Eagles, Harbor Seal
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
s, Black Oystercatchers
American Black Oystercatcher
The Black Oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani, is a conspicuous black bird found on the shoreline of western North America. It ranges from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to the coast of the Baja California peninsula....
, and Harlequin Duck
Harlequin Duck
The Harlequin Duck is a small sea duck. It takes its name from Arlecchino, Harlequin in French, a colourfully dressed character in Commedia dell'arte. The species name comes from the Latin word "histrio", "actor". In North America it is also known as Lords and ladies...
s. The island was purchased in 1979 by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
, and is administered as a nature preserve.
History
Before the arrival of European colonists, the island was used by the indigenous populationCoast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
for harvesting plant foods such as the roots of the Camas
Camassia
Camassia is a genus of six species native to western North America, from southern British Columbia to northern California, and east to Utah, Wyoming and Montana...
flower. Intentional burning was a method used to keep the tree population in check, helping to maintain the prairies
Camas prairie
The name camas prairie refers to several distinct geographical areas in the western United States which were named for the native perennial camassia or camas, including regions in the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington...
needed for the Camas flowers. The island was bought by Lewis and Elizabeth Dodd in 1947, and then sold in 1979 to The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
, and is administered as a nature preserve.