Selkirk Conservation Alliance

09/25/2026

SCA wrapped up our 2026 Priest Lake and Priest Basin streams annual citizen science water quality monitoring program work this week. A GREAT BIG WHOPPING THANK YOU to all of the dedicated and passionate volunteers that bring this program to life every year! A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Bruce Yocum, Karen Anderson, Dr. Curt Wickre, Dr. Kim Lea, Jon Quin Hurst, Stan Miller & Janis Houghton.

SCA monitors 13 sites on lower Priest Lake and one site on upper Priest Lake as well as 18 of the primary streams that feed the Priest Basin. SCA collects data on; Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Temperature, pH, Secchi Depth, Chlorophyll, Conductivity, Hardness, Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus. SCA has been doing this work under the umbrella of IDEQ Citizens Science Volunteer Monitoring Program since 2008. SCA is the only entity collecting this important water quality data annually for the Priest Basin.

Photo: Mouth of Trapper Creek, upper Priest Lake, September 2026.

09/11/2026

A HUGE THANK YOU
to all the folks and agencies who helped to make yesterday’s
“Living Classroom” field trip to the Waterlife Discovery Center a success!!

The Kalispel Tribal Language & Survival School students were absorbing the information being shared like a sponge. SCA is always so very honored to work with you all!
Stations this year included; Bear Awareness, Native Fisheries (including making fish prints!), Rabbit Sticks (primitive hunting skills) and Animal Tracks.

Here are some photos from the “Living Classroom” for your viewing pleasure!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EsoKgtAHY2qkU8BsO14JHSxL3nwWX1bB?usp=sharing
Again, THANK YOU for your help and for making our community a better place to be…..but most importantly, THANK YOU for inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards, we are sure going to need them!

09/04/2026

CONSERVATION COMMUNITY MEMBERS NEEDED!!!!

Seeking to fill >>
Two open seats on the Bonner Planning Commission and one seat on the Zoning Commission.

Tired of watching paradise be paved over? Want to have a say in where and how growth progresses in Bonner County. Tired of hearing loud and clear from your neighbors that folks want to keep Bonner County rural and preserve open spaces and special sites and the Planning Commission and County Commissioners completely ignoring these voices?

Looking for Bonner County citizens willing to serve on the Bonner County Planning OR Zoning Commission Boards. Put simply, if we want to keep Bonner County environmentally pristine, we cannot afford to let open seats on these commissions be filled by folks who only see dollar signs in place of wetlands, wildlife habitat, agriculture & pasture lands, sensitive shorelines and other special sites across our county.

The Planning Commission is responsible for recommending amendments to the Bonner County Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Ordinances to the County Commissioners.

YOU could make a real difference by serving!

Please, please, please consider applying today. OR if you know someone, please encourage them to serve.
Thank you!
Learn more and apply HERE!

Official Website for Bonner County Idaho

08/07/2026

SCA was honored as a grant recipient from Society for Science for their work to enhance scientific understanding through creating opportunities for their community to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
SCA’s decades long water monitoring of Priest Lake checks all the boxes.

Go to: www.scocietyforscience.org

Drop down Press Room and click on press releases. READ ALL ABOUT IT!!! 👏👏

08/01/2026

A grand time was had by all! Goods folks doing good work for protecting the Priest Lake basin. Join SCA!

06/06/2026

The annual SCA Cleanup was a trashing success! Thanks so much to all the dedicated volunteers. SCA doubled our adopted miles last year and many hands make lite work, thank you, thank you, thank you! Also, know that this work is not without reward, we found a new life jacket, a vintage Christmas ornament (still in the box), a super Tonka toy, and a working digital watch face!
A beautiful, productive day by a team of dedicated conservationists! ❣️

06/03/2026

Email from Selkirk Conservation Alliance Please HELP STOP a disastrous land use decision AND Priest Lake! Read SCA’s full comment letter HERE: BY JUNE 11th email your opposition letter to the Bonner C

05/19/2026

04/25/2026

The Board of Bonner County Commissioners are calling for letters of interest from persons willing to serve on the Bonner County Natural Resources Committee to advise the Bonner County Board of Commissioners in coordinating with Federal and State governments on natural resource issues impacting Bonner County.
There are FOUR open positions available on this Committee. The Board of Commissioners are looking for residents from Bonner County. The term of commitment is two years. The committee meets quarterly on the fourth Friday at 10:00 a.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building.

Please send a letter of interest to: Board of Bonner County Commissioners, 1500 Highway 2, Suite 308, Sandpoint, ID 83864. Or e-mail letter to [email protected]

Letters of interest should be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

04/13/2026

Enjoy the honor of being a Selkirk Conservation Alliance member at an elegant setting on the shores of the beloved crown jewel of North Idaho.