From the ED

From the ED | April 2024

From the ED | April 2024

By: Amanda Parrish

How did The Lands Council come to be in possession of Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder’s canoe? If you guessed it was because of our work protecting the Colville National Forest, you’d be right! We’ve worked for decades to ensure public lands of the Inland Northwest remain public and are managed with future generations in mind, and it looks like we’ve gotten the attention of likeminded conservation heroes in the music industry. Of course, the story’s a little more complicated than that and we’ll be auctioning off the canoe along with a signed photograph later this fall. To learn more about our rockstar connections in the meantime, come to one of our many upcoming spring events and we’ll give you the inside scoop.

From the ED | February 2022

From the ED | February 2022

February 1st was cause for many celebrations this year. For one, February brings an end to January, which many of us believe to be the longest month of year, figuratively speaking of course. In 2022, February 1st was the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, a holiday celebrated by over 2 billion people worldwide. Imbolc, a pagan holiday to mark the mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, also fell on this day. And while I don’t celebrate the quiet evenings of winter coming to an end, I do celebrate the changes each season brings and try to remain open to the lessons we can glean from these natural processes.

From the ED | October 2021

From the ED | October 2021

I've always enjoyed paying attention to how seasonal changes from week to week can evoke different moods and sensations. In spring, each week inspires new plants to bloom, and pent-up energy is released in great bursts. Fall is a time for winding down, and the rolling fog clinging to valley floors serves as a spooky reminder of winter's slower pace ahead. But then I remember the beaver, and how fall is when beavers work the hardest to build a food cache for the coming winter. Squirrels too collect the unwanted fruit from our trees with alacrity. The Katnai National Park in Alaska even has a Fat Bear Week at the start of each fall to humorously track the gluttonous behavior of its resident bears this time of year. So maybe fall isn't so sleepy after all.

Thoughts From Our Executive Director | January 2021

Thoughts From Our Executive Director | January 2021

First, I want to thank all of you who have stepped up to help The Lands Council during a challenging 2020. Your support of our conservation work is greatly appreciated! I am hopeful that we will safely move beyond the pandemic in 2021, get vaccines, and see our local businesses re-open.

Thoughts From Our Executive Director | December 2020

Thoughts From Our Executive Director | December 2020

Welcome to our end of the year newsletter! Despite COVID-19, we have been busy as beavers!

Our efforts to help mitigate and reduce the impacts of climate change are multi-pronged. This year we have constructed beaver dam analogs, protected beaver habitat, planted over a thousand trees, helped Spokane create a climate action plan, and we are helping a regional coalition wind down our fossil fuel supply chain. Almost all of the staff are involved in climate and sustainability issues.

Our Disappearing Roadless Areas

Our Disappearing Roadless Areas

By Mike Petersen

The U.S. Department of Agriculture just announced a final Alaska Roadless Rule that exempts the Tongass National Forest from the 2001 provision that prohibited road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvests in roadless areas. The Tongass National Forest is the largest remaining intact temperate rainforest in the world. 17 million acres in size and home to over 400 species of wildlife, it's also one of the rarest ecosystems in the world.

Wildfires and Forest Management

Wildfires and Forest Management

By Mike Petersen

Wildfires are still burning throughout the West, especially California. Smoke is again creeping into Eastern Washington - although high in the atmosphere so far. There are differences of opinion of what to do and what the future will bring. We do know that on average the fire season is over a month longer and our summers are predicted to be dryer in the Northwest. Our climate is changing and we can expect more summers like this one.

Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine

By Mike Petersen

The Lands Council, along with our partner Spokane Ponderosa, is dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of the native Ponderosa pine urban forest found throughout Spokane County. The cities of Spokane County are enriched by the native Ponderosa forests that distinguish us from Midwestern and Eastern cities. Our goal is to help retain as many Ponderosa pine as possible and plant new ones in many areas such as the North Spokane Corridor - and your yard!

Thoughts From Our Executive Director | May 2020

The Lands Council has been staying busy. Cleaning up our Spokane River is a key part of our work. I recently took part in a virtual conference for the annual National River Rally. My topic was reducing inadvertent PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). The Spokane River Regional Toxic Task Force is leading the country in investigating these man-made chemicals that are contaminating the Spokane River. They come from inks, paint, and pigments that are produced with chlorine. Think of that yellow stripe in the road as it washes into the storm water - it contains a certain variety (congener) of PCB Even the newsprint in recycled paper has inks that contain PCBs.