INLC’s Rimrock to Riverside property lies along the northern boundary of Palisades City Park. It’s very diverse in vegetation, contains several unique wetlands and ponds, and is very geologically unique. The Conservancy strives to not only protect lands like these, but also enhance the habitats and forest health of the landscape.

Good forest management in areas like Palisades, which resides in the Wildland Urban Interface, means conducting regular thinning of dead, diseased, or dense trees. Dense thickets of trees are called doghair, which are now very common in the Inland Northwest and present at Rimrock to Riverside.

Our work on March 5th will focus on thinning out doghair ponderosa pines using hand tools like hand saws and loppers. Thinning them allows each remaining tree to have the resources it needs to thrive and reduces the likelihood of diseases or parasites compromising their health. It also allows more sunlight to reach the understory, which provide important food sources and cover for wildlife. But perhaps most importantly, it significantly reduces the likelihood of severe or catastrophic wildfire, which are much more common in places like Palisades where human uses significantly increase the odds of a wildfire.

We’ll meet at the Rimrock to Riverside parking area at 9am, and likely wrap up and be back at the parking area by 1pm. Please bring a snack and plenty of water, along with a face covering, appropriate layers, and sturdy hiking shoes/boots. INLC will provide all necessary tools and gloves.