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.
By Laura Ackerman
Many projects were put on hold in our professional and personal lives in 2020. One thing worldwide that has been happening is pandemic wildlife photography. Instead of so many selfies, humans everywhere are using their cell phones to take photos of all those other creatures who graciously share the Earth with us.
Join us for a cozy, fire-side Holiday Story Hour to talk about the co-existence of keystone species like wolves and beavers with local authors Ben Goldfarb and Eli Francovich. Ben, author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, and Eli will welcome us into their fireside reading nooks to read from their books and tell us the story of how it came to be. The readings and stories will be followed by a candid conversation between the two authors on coexistence with this keystone species and an audience Q&A.
We appreciate the warmth and support of YOU and your families this holiday season.
By Kat Hall
TLC’s 2020 field season has officially come to a close. We held our final Marshall Creek planting, wrapped up our fall maintenance activities, and then cleaned, hauled, and stowed all of our tools and equipment for the winter. In total, we planted and maintained well over 1,500 trees since March!
By Maggie Gates
The Sustainability Action Subcommittee (SAS) is a group of appointed community members who care about the greater Spokane community and want to see it thrive. City Council created the SAS in early 2019 in order to focus on issues surrounding climate change and its effects on Spokane and the region. Lands Council staff members Mike, Chelsea, and Maggie all serve on the SAS in various committees that align with our goals. Through this work, The Lands Council is pushing for on-the-ground action for sustainability and climate resilience.
