Bradshaw's Lomatium Population Faces Critical Threat After Golf Course Destruction

Govind Tekale

Nearly 4 million Bradshaw’s lomatium plants, a rare prairie herb, were destroyed at Camas Meadows Golf Course in Washington.

This incident marks a drastic setback for conservation efforts spanning over 30 years.

Photo Source: USFWS - Pacific Region (CC BY 2.0)

This destruction wiped out 90% of the global population of Bradshaw’s lomatium, a species recently delisted as endangered.

The decision to plow 15 acres of wetlands has drawn major concern from conservationists.

Photo Source: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Both state and federal agencies are now being urged to step in and address this loss.

The golf course’s decision to rototill 15 acres of wetlands demands action,” said Noah Greenwald, a conservation expert.

This plant once thrived in the seasonally wet prairies of the Pacific Northwest but faced near extinction from habitat loss.

Conservation efforts led to a resurgence, but this habitat change now poses a serious threat.

Photo Source: USFWS - Institute for Applied Ecology

The recent loss has left the Bradshaw’s lomatium population in Washington limited to just two main locations.

A severely impacted group at Camas Meadows and a small state-managed population at Lacamas Prairie Preserve.

Photo Source: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington (CC BY 2.0)

The golf course had once followed plant-friendly management practices, but this abrupt change has stunned experts.

They worry the damage may permanently alter the habitat conditions crucial for this species’ survival.

Without formal protection on private lands, Oregon’s scattered populations of Bradshaw’s lomatium face uncertain futures.

The devastation in Washington underscores the need to reassess protections for delisted species.

Photo Source: BLM Oregon & Washington (Facebook)

The Washington State Department of Ecology is now investigating potential environmental regulation violations by the golf course.

The Center for Biological Diversity has called for emergency relisting of the species as endangered.

Photo Source: Washington State Department of Ecology (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Experts say this incident highlights the complex balance between development and conserving rare species.

The crisis also reveals gaps in protection for vulnerable plants on privately owned land.

Photo Source: Alyse Lansing

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