Summer Ecology Update

From the Field Notes of Sitka’s Ecology & Facilities Manager, Jake Simondet


Nothing beats summer on the Oregon Coast: warm days, cool nights and a fog layer in between. It creates one of the most remarkable ecosystems anywhere, full of life both seen and unseen. The season brings out our curiosity and invites us outdoors, as though we’ve all been waiting months for permission to explore.

I have the privilege of stewarding Sitka’s 80-acre nature preserve, where every seasonal shift feels like reconnecting with old friends. Familiar members of the ecosystem return, each with their own role to play.

Summer is the preserve’s most abundant season. Greeting the berries as they ripen in succession is grounding: salmonberries, thimbleberries, salal and the first huckleberries—each announcing that summer has truly arrived. Even the tiny alpine strawberries hidden among the ground cover can deliver a sweeter surprise than the finest Hood strawberry, if you find them before the wildlife does.

Between berry picking and stewardship work, I find some of my best moments for reflection. This year has been about building stronger connections and investing in work that will benefit the ecosystem for years to come. 

This spring, I had the pleasure of introducing interdisciplinary artist-in-residence Katy Brett to the preserve. Katy incorporates locally gathered materials into ancient making practices, and together we wandered the forest searching for elk bones. Using those bones, reclaimed cedar and pewter casting, Katy created a simple stool inspired by the place itself.

As an experiment, she wanted to place it in the forest where we had found most of the bones—a spot where an elk that had died from natural causes later sustained carnivores like bobcats, possums and turkey vultures before becoming part of the forest again.

Curious what might happen, we set up a game camera.
The footage quickly became something neither of us expected.

First came a black bear, all big movements and deep sniffs, returning multiple times while traveling a nearby game trail. A cougar passed through once, acknowledging the unfamiliar scent before casually continuing onward. A possum returned to the elk site and scurried around the stool as if hoping another meal might somehow appear.

The most surprising visitors were a small herd of elk that lingered for quite some time. Some lay down beside Katy’s installation, almost as though remembering one of their own. Did they somehow recognize the presence of an elder from their herd? Deep emotion was soon interrupted by laughter as one elk seemed determined to play with the stool. It repeatedly picked it up with its massive molars and dropped it back into nearly the same spot, leaving me grinning. How could the elk not feel something there?

I’ve also been watching this year’s elk calves weaving through the herd, learning to run, leap and bugle. Their awkward first attempts make me smile and leave me hopeful for the future.

Cascade Head and the Salmon River Estuary form an extraordinary ecosystem sustained by everything from tiny insects to vast underground fungal networks. Yet that balance is increasingly under pressure. Rising ocean temperatures challenge our salmon runs, while endangered marbled murrelets depend on stronger protections for the remaining old-growth forests along our coast.

Stewardship is never finished. In a time when environmental protections continue to be rolled back, even small actions matter. Planting native wildflowers, creating habitat for pollinators or simply making space for nature at home can all contribute to healthier ecosystems. Butterflies are among the best indicators of ecosystem health, often revealing broader changes across the landscape.

As I gather the first chanterelles of the season, I find myself wondering what more butterflies could mean for Cascade Head. Our threatened Oregon silverspot butterfly needs more habitat and more support, and I am excited to explore what the Sitka community can do to help.

I hope you’ll follow along as Sitka’s habitat restoration work continues. Together, we can help this remarkable place thrive for generations to come.