By Lindsay Box
One of the hardest parts of living through a global pandemic is the lack of connections with members of your community. Back in the day, you would volunteer or attend an event and meet a new friend, a neighbor. You would realize how much you have in common, you might know similar people, and you could earn something new. The ability to create organic conversations and connections has been put on the back burner for well, almost two years. Although we are not in a post-pandemic world (and we may never be), the opportunity to connect with our community is slowly happening again - and we are all ready for it.
Fortunately, The Lands Council’s volunteer opportunities and events are outside and this fall we have had so many ways to get involved and connect with our community. Throughout the entire month of October, we planted trees, built fences (the good kind), and installed drought tolerant landscapes. Being able to connect with our community over this past month has been a breath of fresh air. Volunteers joined us all month long, bringing their friends and family members with them along the way. We connected with teachers, retirees, people new to Spokane, people who had lived here their whole lives, and so many more.
We also connected with a likeminded organization - the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy - for our biggest tree planting this fall, Reforest Spokane Day. Even though our names are very similar, we are both environmental non-profits, and our offices are in neighboring buildings, we haven’t partnered with INLC in this big of a way. They have an amazing project near Palisades Park in West Spokane, called Rimrock to Riverside. Currently nominated for County Conservation Futures acquisition, this beautiful natural spot connects Palisades City Park to Riverside State Park. It is frequented by migratory birds, moose, coyotes, and dozens of native plants. To protect this special place, INLC has worked with partners from Friends of Palisades, Spokane City and County Parks, and more.
So, our organizations, along with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, decided to work together to make big difference, in a special area, in just one day. And what a big difference we were able to make! In 3 hours, over 200 volunteers planted 1,700 native trees and shrubs to restore this vital wetland and natural area. Lands Council volunteers worked along Conservancy volunteers, making a difference and making connections. Nearby landowners joined in the fun too and we got to meet so many wonderful people - of all ages!
We cannot express how thankful we are for everyone who showed up and got dirty with us on Saturday morning. You have made such a big difference in this restoration project and for our regional environment.
We also want to give our gratitude to our partner, Avista Utilities, for making this event happen. Not only have they been sponsoring this event for years, but they also donated $1 to the Reforest Spokane effort for every customer that signs up for the My Clean Energy program. This program brings renewable energy solutions to Avista’s electric customers through a mix of wind, solar, and other qualifying renewable offsets. Their continued commitment and dedication to our local environment is unparalleled - and we are so appreciative of their generosity and support.
The world is full of bad news, so here is a little reminder of some good in this amazing community of environmentalists: making small connections can make a big difference. While our volunteer events are mostly over until next spring, we are holding on to how awesome this event and past month has been and we know it will keep us warm this winter. And if you find yourself missing your/this community, send us an email and we can go snowshoeing!
