Nature Conservancy News: 218,000 Acres of Southern Forest Purchased

In news from other Nature Conservancy chapters, the organization announced yesterday the purchase of 218,000 acres of International Paper land in 10 Southern states.

Volunteer at Silver Creek Preserve

Enjoy a day at Silver Creek Preserve while helping to restore habitat and maintain facilities. The preserve needs volunteers throughout the spring to help with a variety of tasks. Contact Lynea Newcomer at lnewcomer@tnc.org or Dayna Smith at dayna_smith@tnc.org for more details.

April 3-7: Four people needed to help plant native rushes.

May: 13-14 - Ten people per day needed to install bio-logs and other re-vegetation materials in portions of Stalker Creek. This is part of an on-going restoration aimed at enhancing trout spawning and rearing habitat as well as stream bank habitat for birds and mammals.

Last two weeks of May - Six people needed to rebuild/expand garden and possibly construct small greenhouse/nurser.

Mid-June - 6 to 8 people needed to move several access trails around Kilpatrick Pond (days of project duration not yet determined).

We hope you will see an opportunity to lend a hand. For each one we will provide refreshments and mid-day meals. Come work out some of your spring fever!

Ivory-bill Podcast

Listen to the latest developments in the story of the ivory-billed woodpecker's rediscovery, with this free podcast. Photo courtesy David Allen.

Great Places Network

Receive monthly news from The Nature Conservancy by signing up for the Great Places Network. Membership is free, and you'll receive updates on projects from around the world.

An Interview with State Director Laura Hubbard

Laura Hubbard, the Idaho Chapter's state director, has been on the job for five months. Read her thoughts on conservation, Idaho and leadership in this interview.

Listen to "Off the Trail" On-Line

Each week, "Off the Trail" offers a field guide to wildlife and wild places in Idaho and beyond. Produced by Boise State Radio and veteran radio reporter Jyl Hoyt, the series has taken listeners afield with biologists, story tellers, ranchers and conservationists. There's even an interview with Gansukh, the Conservancy's Mongolian guest.

The Nature Conservancy of Idaho is proud to underwrite this series that celebrates the special places of Idaho, and the wildlife and people who live in those places.

"Off the Trail" airs Fridays at 6:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Boise State Radio. If you miss an episode, or live outside the coverage area, you can listen to the stories on-line.

From Mongolia to Idaho

In October 2005, Mongolian conservationist Gongor Gansukh traveled to Idaho as part of a Nature Conservancy exchange program. For ten days, Gansukh studied conservation planning, spent time afield with staff and partners, rode the range with cowboys and saw the similarities and differences between Idaho and Mongolia.

Mongolian conservationists also visited the Arizona and Colorado chapters.

The exchange programs were designed to help Mongolian conservationists protect their grasslands and native wildlife, including snow leopard, argali sheep, elk, gazelle and ibex.

Read a full travelogue of Gansukh's journey to Idaho.

Welcome to The Nature Conservancy of Idaho's Blog

Welcome to The Nature Conservancy of Idaho's blog. We began this as a way to keep in touch with our members, volunteers, partners and anyone interested in what The Nature Conservancy is doing in Idaho.

The blog will be updated at least weekly and will include information on upcoming events, project news, staff profiles and information on what you can see in Idaho's natural world.

Let us know how we can make the blog better, and please always feel free to post comments and questions here.

Check back frequently, and thanks for helping to conserve Idaho's last great places.

Matt Miller
Blog editor