Inland Northwest Land Conservancy

06/01/2026

Join us with Northern Rockies Trail Project and partners for National Trails Day: Stewardship in Action on Saturday, June 6! You'll be part of a community of people who care about our outdoor recreation spaces and share your passion for keeping our trails thriving. This stewardship project at Canfield Mountain in Idaho will include trail projects for all ability levels — plus community, coffee and donuts, and a BBQ with root beer floats after! Lake City Trail Alliance Kaniksu Land Trust Trout Unlimited Idaho Trails Association https://inlandnwland.org/event/national-trails-day-stewardship-in-action/

🚨 CALLING ALL PUBLIC LAND OWNERS 🚨

Yep. You.

If you’ve ever ridden a trail, hiked through the woods, hunted elk in the fall, floated a river, picked huckleberries, trail run at sunrise, loaded horses at the trailhead, explored on a dirtbike or UTV, or simply found a little peace under tall trees… these are your lands too.

And public lands don’t stay open, accessible, and cared for by accident.

They stay open because people show up.
Because communities roll up their sleeves.
Because stewardship belongs to all of us.

So this National Trails Day, we’re throwing down one giant, slightly rowdy, wildly collaborative public lands stewardship extravaganza at Canfield.

Not just mountain bikers.
Not just motorized users.
Not just hikers or horsemen or hunters.

Everybody.

One day where the people who love these places actually show up for them together.

We’ll have coffee and donuts, trail projects for all ability levels, BBQ and root beer after, and a lineup of community partners and public lands folks that honestly feels pretty special. Some serious heavy hitters in the world of trails, conservation, access, and stewardship are planning to be there… but you’ll have to show up to find out who 👀

This isn’t about politics.
This isn’t about gatekeeping.
This is about building a culture where people feel connected enough to care.

Protecting access. Building the future.

🛠 TOOLS PROVIDED
📍 RSVP for location details and more info
📅 June 6
⏰ 9 AM – 1 PM

05/27/2026

Meet the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition tomorrow and learn how investment in outdoor spaces like Beacon Hill and the Centennial Trail strengthens communities. https://wildliferecreation.org/events/meet-the-wwrc-spokane-may-28th/

05/23/2026

Yep. We've got a pretty cool Philanthropy Director at INLC who can also fold 1,000 cranes! Carol - thanks for all you do!

05/22/2026

A big thank you to our stellar Hike Docent and Land Steward, Alana Livingston, for plant education and support on behalf of INLC at this event! She's a rock star, educator, and operator/creator of Wander Spokane, handcrafting experiences around the region!

05/20/2026

Spring potting season is better with great coffee. Thanks to Thomas Hammer Coffee for keeping our volunteers fueled for the many hours of ensuring we have an abundance of native plants to go into the ground this year! More than 50 volunteers have potted up 2,500 plant starts so far, helping revive and nourish places across the Inland Northwest—supporting healthy land and wildlife habitat.

05/18/2026

Good morning! What a cool Spokane Storytime history video created by Miles about Waikiki Springs! Did you know? In 2020, your Conservancy rescued 95 acres of land from residential development — now known as Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve, nestled between Glen Tana and the Waikiki Springs Fishing access site owned by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

With the property already laid out for housing, we stepped in with a bigger vision: improving fish habitat, preserving open space, supporting youth education, and creating public recreational access for hiking, wildlife viewing, mountain biking, bird watching, and fishing. The purchase of the land was made possible with help from then Representative, now State Senator, Sen. Marcus Riccelli and the Washington State Legislature.

The Preserve is made even more special by its neighbors. It adjoins a 116-acre Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife property, through which the Spokane Aquifer delivers millions of gallons of cold, clear water directly into our preserve and the Little Spokane River.

The Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve includes 1,700 feet of shoreline along the Little Spokane River, a thriving ponderosa pine forest, open meadows, and ponds teeming with native fish and wildlife. This is what conservation looks like, and it is open for year-round public recreation.

05/15/2026

This spring, we welcomed Hannah Jurado as an intern at Glen Tana, where she gained hands-on experience in conservation, restoration, and stewardship work. Hannah is currently studying at Gonzaga University.

Supporting future conservation leaders is an important part of shaping the future of this work, and throughout her internship, Hannah experienced firsthand the partnerships, volunteers, and community connections that make conservation possible. Here, Hannah reflects on her internship experience and the lessons she’ll carry forward. Thank you, Hannah, for joining INLC!

https://inlandnwland.org/discovering-the-work-behind-conservation/

05/13/2026

An additional 280 acres north of Spokane have now been permanently protected, expanding an existing 605-acre conservation area along the Little Spokane River. For nearly a century, the Verbrugge family has cared for this land — wetlands, river bottom, and forest, home to moose, elk, wolves, cougars, and bears. Now, 885 acres are protected forever.

This conservation partnership between landowner Gary Verbrugge and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians ensures this land remains intact for generations to come. The Kalispel Tribe will become the long-term owner and steward of the land — reconnecting Tribal members to ancestral landscape for hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultural connection.

Find out more in this story written by Cara Carlton: https://inlandnwland.org/a-gift-of-land-and-a-promise-to-the-future/

05/11/2026

Join us on May 17 for a Philosophy Hike at the Conservancy’s Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve in collaboration with Eastern Washington University and hike docent Chris Kirby, where you'll be invited to slow down, notice, and listen more closely to the landscapes we move through. Focusing on perception, movement, and responsiveness, the hike explores how philosophical reflection can be practiced not just through ideas, but through the body in motion. https://inlandnwland.org/event/paths-toward-belonging-hike-iii/

05/07/2026

From their first hikes at the Conservancy’s Waikiki Springs to thousands of miles across all 50 states and 31 countries — Elaine Edwards and Galen Chamberlain have turned a love of the outdoors into a lifetime of land stewardship and care. Elaine has found 17,540 geocaches worldwide and leads hikes at Saltese Flats to connect others with the land. Galen, at nearly 90, his goal is to hike 500 miles a year and has hiked every one of the 100 hikes described in Spokane author Rich Landers' book, 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest.

Read more about their adventures in this article written by INLC Volunteer Caroline Woodwell: https://inlandnwland.org/step-by-step/