Each year, Earth Day calls us to celebrate the natural world and take action to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife that sustain us. Earth Day started in 1970, and today, 56 years after that first Earth Day, we face new global and local environmental threats. There are real reasons to feel worried right now. But here’s something else that’s real: for 3.8 billion years, life on Earth has been creating conditions conducive to life.
The 2026 legislative session delivered something rare: a meaningful climate policy win shaped by collaboration across communities, geographies, and perspectives.
HB 2416, regarding the regulation of Spokane’s Waste to Energy plant, has officially passed. With it comes a solution that protects Spokane ratepayers, upholds Washington’s Climate Commitment Act , and creates real accountability for reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions over time.
This is a big deal.
Happy Groundhog Day, everyone!
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning, which means we can expect 6 more weeks of winter. While most of the country may be lamenting this prediction, much of the western US is wondering if winter has even shown up at all!
Think you know everything about The Lands Council? From our education programs to the number of trees we've planted, our work is filled with amazing milestones! Now, you can put your knowledge to the test with our exciting trivia game: By the Numbers, created by our very own Justyce. Whether you're a long-time supporter or new to our mission, this game offers a fun way to celebrate our achievements and learn more about our impact in the Inland Northwest.
By Lindsay Box
Improperly discarded items that end up in our waters can cause harm to human health, wildlife, and recreation. While trash and litter can be removed from inside the Spokane River each year, we must also focus on preventing trash and litter from entering the river in the first place. That is why the annual Spokane River Clean-Up is so important.
But what does that mean?
Every year, hundreds of people make a huge impact in just a couple of hours during our annual Spokane River Clean-Up. This year, we are hoping to make a big impact, just with a few changes. You can sign up to clean individually, with your family, or with a group (5 or less at a time, please). You will still go along the Spokane River bank, collect litter, and place it in our designated locations. However, we won’t have a big gathering that morning and we won’t be assigning HUGE groups to clean-up all together. Luckily, the Spokane River is pretty big, so we’ll have plenty of space to social distance while we work.
Most of us are old enough to remember what it sounds like when the needle on your record player reaches the end of the album, a repetitive sound that signals the end without the anticipation of a new beginning. Wolf recovery is stuck in this cycle. The grazing season started in 2020, without change, without hope for a new, more enlightened beginning.
By Mike Petersen
The Northeast Washington Forest Coalition (which The Lands Council helped found) filed it’s first “objection” of a timber sale in mid-July. Two key issues caused NEWFC to challenge this project in Ferry County:
Proposed fuel breaks in inventoried roadless areas, and
A lack of specificity of what the silvicultural prescriptions would entail.
As a thank you to our amazing members, we want to highlight your adventures, ascents, and excursions - how you are exploring the great outdoors of the Inland Northwest. Show us what mountains you have climbed, what rapids you have conquered, and what wildlife you have observed.
We will take these photos and feature them in an annual calendar for our members. Submit your photos today!
On Wednesday, July 22, the Great American Outdoors Act passed the House of Representatives, meaning that the bill has been passed by Congress and moves onto to the president’s desk for final approval. This is the largest hurdle in the process, and now, new funding for public lands is on the horizon.
If passed into law, the Great American Outdoors Act would take massive steps towards addressing two major environmental priorities.
Two highlights of the bill are:
Permanent funding ($900 million annually) for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
$1.9 billion funding (annually for the next five years) for priority deferred-maintenance projects on federal lands
By Lindsay Box
The Spokane River is clearly the gem of our region. For fly fishers, river rafters, paddle boarders, and more - the Spokane River is a treasured resource in the Inland Northwest. However, there are also other beautiful rivers nearby. Read below for more information on the best Inland Northwest rivers and how you can use them to cool down this summer.
