North Idaho tree planting

On March 30, the Ecology and Conservation Biology Club from the University of Idaho came to The Nature Conservancy's Ball Creek Ranch, located in the Kootenai River Valley north of Bonners Ferry, for another volunteer work weekend.

This time I took them to assist local residents Mark and Delia Owens, authors of the bestselling African wildlife books Cry of the Kalahari and Secrets of the Savanna. The Owens now live in northern Idaho and are attempting to restore wetlands on their property in the Curley Creek
Valley. They Owens have an NRCS Wetland Reserve Program conservation easement, as well as a Nature Conservancy-owned conservation easement on their property.

The students spent the day planting willow, and other native shrub and tree species, in and around the wetlands. The students from the Ecology and Conservation Biology Club have assisted the Nature Conservancy's staff in planting thousands of trees over the past several seasons, and their volunteer efforts are greatly appreciated.

Justin Petty
Inland Northwest Land Steward, The Nature Conservancy