SAVE THE FEN
OKANOGAN LAND TRUST
Bonaparte Meadows: Home of the Largest Calcareous Fen in Washington State
What is a Calcareous Fen?
A calcareous fen is on of the rarest wetland types in the United States. Washington State is home to some of the rarest and highest quality calcareous fens in the Pacific Northwest. These fens happen to be a few hours drive from my house and I had been driving by them without understanding their importance.
Bonaparte Lake is a short drive away from our property in Republic. Sometimes we stay at the campground in the summer and swim in the cold lake. When the kids are still asleep in the morning, my husband and I will sneak into the Bonaparte Lake Resort where you can still get steak and eggs and a stiff cup of coffee.
On the road to the lake, there is a huge wet meadow that always grabs my attention. I typically slow way down to scan the ponds for waterfowl. I had always wanted to explore and take a longer look but it’s private property, so I stole these moments when I could.
Last month, Republic was holding a Conservation Fair and that’s when I saw a sign “Save the FEN”. I recognized that word! I had read the book ” Fen, Bog and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis” by Annie Proulx some while back but the details were foggy. I stopped to talk to the man at the booth to ask him questions. The first one was, “where is this fen?” and the second one was “what is it?” Little did I know, the meadow that I have been wishing I could explore was one and the same! When they said they needed some high quality images for their campaign, I could hardly contain my excitement! I was going to get to explore the Bonaparte Meadows–it was the fen they were trying to save from development!
Unlike a bog, which is rain fed (ombrotrophic), a fen gets its water from groundwater and surface water (minerotrophic). Bogs tend to have very acidic, poor wet soils, while fens have medium to rich soil that is slightly acidic/neutral pH and surrounded by sluggish water.
Glaciers and Calcareous Fens
What makes a calcareous fen so unique is the way it was formed. The calcareous fen at Bonaparte Meadows was formed about 8,000 years ago according to Dr. Karl Lillquist Emeritus Professor, Dept. of Geography from Central Washington University. As glaciers receded, they left behind carbonate-rich glacial deposits and outwash plains that act as deep aquifers. As the glaciers melted, thick layers of sand, gravel, and crushed limestone were left behind. These porous materials act as permanent, saturated groundwater aquifers. These harsh, mineral-rich, highly alkaline, and constantly wet conditions foster highly specialized, calcium-loving (calciphiles) plants.