Inland Northwest Land Conservancy

Over the last 30+ years, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy (inlc) has worked to conserve, care for, and connect with lands and waters essential to life in the Inland Northwest. Inlc envisions a future of interconnected natural habitats throughout the Inland Northwest, supporting thriving populations of native plants and wildlife, respected, and enjoyed by all who call this region home. The Conservancy has protected over 27,000 acres, including 10,604 acres of partner projects, 1,365 acres of preserve Land, 15,409 acres of private conservation easements, and 125 miles of protected waterways. In 2023, the team protected two new properties, totaling 4,441 new acres. The conservation team was also able to connect landowners with local tribal partners, securing several thousand more acres under tribal ownership and conservation management.during the year, the Conservancy completed the olson family conservation preserve in partnership with the palouse Land Trust. While palouse Land Trust will own and manage the Land, inlc will act as the Land's guarantor and guardian of the olson family's wishes for the preserve. While one-third of the Land will be dedicated to trails built for research and guided field trips, the other two-thirds will be protected for wildlife habitat and the health of big bear creek, a spawning habitat for native steelhead.a newly formed team of hike docents led nearly 500 participants on hikes, featuring trails and public recreation areas in which the Conservancy has had a hand in protecting. Many of these participants would have been able to enjoy new interpretive signage, paid for through Washington state legislative funding and developed and installed by the inlc team. These signs highlight the native history, ecological value, and importance of the clean, cold aquifer water that bubbles out of the hillsides in waikiki springs nature preserve and the newly acquired glen tana conservation project.in august of 2023, the Conservancy closed on the purchase of more than 1,000 acres of Land adjacent to waikiki springs nature preserve and riverside state park. This critical connecting property contains two miles of the meandering little spokane river. Thanks to year-round aquifer recharge from the springs in the surrounding hillsides, the water in this river stays cool all year, providing ideal spawning habitat for native anadromous fish such as salmon, long blocked from this waterway by the construction of dams. The purchase of the property, in partnership with the spokane tribe of indians, will allow for a fish-rearing facility able to introduce thousands of salmon to the river in the coming years and support the broader efforts of the upper columbia united tribes to restore historic salmon runs to the blocked zone of the columbia river.through a Washington state budget appropriation, the depletion of inlc's conservation opportunity fund, and a sizeable loan, this purchase secured the Land for several years as the Conservancy serves as a bridge owner. Eventually, the spokane tribe will own a portion, and Washington state parks will own and manage the rest as part of riverside state park. The Conservancy is undertaking a multi-year capital campaign to recoup the funds used from the conservation opportunity fund and cover the costs associated with owning the Land for the time being. Staff visited all 75 conservation easements to fulfill annual monitoring requirements. Staff worked with volunteers to preserve lands, facilitated a total value of $290,086 of volunteer work to remove 5,500 lbs of garbage, plant 945 native trees, and identify 89 native species during citizen science projects. With 649 active donors, the Conservancy collaborated with community and agency partners to protect new lands for public access and secured critical Land in connecting corridors throughout the Inland Northwest region. The success of this year has positioned the Conservancy for exponential growth in the community through the protection of the glen tana property and continued work on high-value private conservation Land. The current capital campaign will grow the fund used to protect lands and waters for public benefit, and by raising awareness of this beautiful and vital piece of the little spokane river corridor, and the Conservancy's protection of it, the community will come to view inlc as ubiquitous with the cause of conservation, protecting the very things for which people move here and stay herea life outdoors.