County Conservation Futures Purchases R2R

Spokane Park Land Moves to City Ownership Through County Conservation Futures Funding

Spokane County Conservation Futures has purchased the first of its eight ranked properties. The land, situated between Palisades City Park and Riverside State Park was protected through purchase and legal agreements by Inland Northwest Land Conservancy who served as a bridge owner until Conservation Futures was able to make the purchase. The Conservation Futures Program, a voter-supported property tax-funded program that facilitated this transfer of “Rimrock to Riverside” into City of Spokane Parks & Recreation ownership and management, has helped preserve almost 9,400 acres in Spokane County since 1994.

“While there were many folks involved over the decades in preserving and expanding Palisades Park,” says Paul Knowles, Parks Planning, Development & Real Estate Manager for Spokane County Parks, Recreation & Golf, “the preservation of R2R would not have been possible without INLC’s leadership, proactive engagement, and patience with property owners, City of Spokane Parks & Recreation, and Spokane County Parks, Recreation & Golf. Together, we’ve been able to expand Palisades Park by 28% in the hottest real estate market since 2007. This is a huge win for our community.”

“We are so pleased to have helped achieve this long-held community conservation goal of expanding Palisades Park northward to allow for eventual trail connection to Riverside State Park,” says Dave Schaub, the Conservancy’s Executive Director. “This project helps complete an important connection between existing public parks, one that will provide vital habitat for animals and recreational access for our community for generations to come.”

Thanks to a bold vision from Friends of Palisades, generous funding from private citizens, institutions like Washington Trust Bank, and the partnership of local landowners, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy secured the 123 acres of land that will now be owned and managed by the City of Spokane as a part of Palisades Park, in perpetuity. Funds that were contributed to this effort will go into a fund that will allow the Conservancy to continue partnering with local communities in the Inland Northwest to protect natural spaces for the benefit of wildlife and humans, forever.