Glen Tana’s Native Plant Nursery Grows through the Power of Partnership

By Mitchell Clark, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy Volunteer

Thank you to the volunteers who have been keeping the nursery humming and caring for the plants that will go into the ground this fall! We’re grateful to be doing this work alongside partners Pheasants Forever, Spokane Audubon Society, The Lands Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Partners Program, and Washington Conservation Corps. Here’s the full story about the nursery expansion at Glen Tana. This story first appeared in our Spring 2026 newsletter.

In 2024, the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy built a native plant nursery at Glen Tana, a place where up to 4,000 plants have room to grow, an automatic watering system, and as much sun or shade as they need.

Since then, plants grown in the nursery have made their way all over the area. They’ve been sewn in Slavin, Waikiki Springs, and Hangman Creek. Some even ended up within sight of the nursery: last fall, over 120 volunteers came to help plant native species in the former grazing pastures that sit a stone’s throw away, as part of a goal to restore the field back to native shrubland habitat.

Now, the Conservancy has worked to vastly expand the operation, using the land at Glen Tana to build three additional plots, which should provide ample room for up to 12,000 plants at once. It’s not just about capacity, though. The extra space, ability to use larger pots, and improved flexibility when it comes to providing plants with water and shade should help even more of them survive the hot summers and cold winters.

“Our motive to expand the nursery is that every plant we produce from this nursery is another plant that’s going in the wild to be habitat,” says Steven Eddington, preserve manager at INLC. If we’re able to maximize our efforts, we’re creating more habitat for native wildlife species in our area.”

The extra planting space won’t just be useful to the Conservancy. “Part of our goal with expanding the nursery is to bring in partners,” Steven says. “We have a commitment from three organizations looking to house plants here: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program – their private lands program is integral to the expansion and a lot of the planting projects around Spokane – The Lands Council, and Pheasants Forever.” Washington Conservation Corps team members have also dedicated time to help with the build, and Spokane Audubon Society has generously donated funds for the expansion, recognizing that a thriving native plant community means a thriving bird community.

There’s been a lot of work done to turn an empty field into a hospitable home for native plants. A pump house has been built to manage water and electricity for the irrigation systems; new foundations have been poured for the nursery plots; tarp and gravel have been laid; and an automated sprinkler system has been installed.

Getting a project of this scale done in a very short time this spring was a group effort, with help from partners- U.S. Fish and Wildlife, The Lands Council, and Pheasants Forever, pitching in to make it happen.

“One of the most fascinating things about this whole project is how many folks are willing to help,” Steven says. “Especially with the power and water hookup and the foundation for the future pump house – there’s so much I didn’t know, but there are so many folks in the community willing to volunteer their time and expertise. It’s a unique part of working at a land trust; at most jobs, you don’t have a bunch of people saying, ‘I want to do a bunch of free work for you, and I’m going to enjoy it.”

Community volunteers will be essential to maintaining the nursery. The Conservancy’s plan is to start a nursery volunteer group to help control weeds and to move the plants around, ensuring they get the proper amounts of water and sunlight (or shade!). It’s an accessible volunteering opportunity that’s close to the city, and that won’t require as much physical effort as, say, building trails or thinning forests for fire prevention. Stay tuned to the INLC website for more information on future volunteer opportunities at Glen Tana.

Did You Know?
Native plants have evolved alongside local wildlife and are adapted to our climate, making them the foundation of a healthy, thriving ecosystem. Want to learn more? Check out the Washington and Idaho Native Plant Societies at idahonativeplants.org and wnps.org.

Follow Along
Want to stay up to date on the nursery and other conservation projects? Follow us on social media and stay tuned for planting events this fall!