It’s In Our Nature

By Sally Pritchard, Conservancy Board Member and Capital Campaign Committee Chair

The 360 degree view from the Skyline Ballroom at the Centennial Hotel last night was spectacular –Mount Spokane to the north, the dramatic Rimrocks Conservation Area to the west, and a long vista east towards Mica Peak. A crowd of almost 200 supporters mingled with each other, assembled take-home bags of native plant seeds and trail mix, learned about the Conservancy’s five new priority conservation areas, and thoughtfully considered what actions they will take in the coming months to support INLC’s bold vision to protect Glen Tana and thousands more acres in the future. If bald eagles, bears, salmon, porcupines, and yes, rattlesnakes could have been invited, we know they would have partied with us!  What a moment to be part of this land trust!

At the heart of it all is our current project – the largest acquisition of land ever undertaken by the Conservancy.  A little over a year ago, the INLC Board of Directors voted unanimously to commit the entirety of our Conservation Opportunities Fund as a down payment on the purchase of the Glen Tana Farm. This 1,060-acre plot connects two large conservation areas along the Little Spokane River – the beloved Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve to the east and spectacular Riverside State Park to the west.  When the land eventually opens to the public, it will complete a 20-mile contiguous protected corridor along the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers.   

Your Conservancy is managing the permanent conservation of Glen Tana with strong partnerships and financial commitment of the State of Washington, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, and generous INLC donors. Last night we announced that we have already raised more than $3.1 million toward our campaign goal of $4 million. Completing that goal will enable us to pay off our loans and replenish the Conservation Opportunity Fund for the next great project.   

Read about the Glen Tana project on our website, sign up for a guided hike, and consider making a gift or multi-year pledge to help us reach $4 million. Together we are leaving a legacy of open spaces and conserved habitats.  Future generations will be grateful we did. 

Learn more at inlandnwland.org/its-in-our-nature/

For guided hikes, visit inlandnwland.org/iion-private-events/