Paddle the Kootenai River

To commemorate explorer David Thompson’s travels through the Kootenai, we will follow living historians in period clothing from the Northwest Brigade of the American Mountain Men as they retrace 14 miles of this historic water route from the Boundary County boat launch, located just south of the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, to Ball Creek Ranch. Author Jack Nisbet will join Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff to discuss the history, flora and fauna of the valley. Registration deadline is May 5.

Date: Saturday, May 13 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Kootenai River, Deep Creek Boat Launch
Cost: $50/person [includes paddling equipment]
Limit: 25
Contact: Steve Grourke at [208] 676-8176

Moose

On Friday, four moose were sighted on Silver Creek Preserve, the first moose sightings of the season. Over the past several years, moose have been regularly spotted on the preserve, a real treat for many of our visitors. Walk quietly along the nature trails and you may be rewarded with a sighting of moose, and many other wildlife.

Moose are also regularly spotted on our Ball Creek Ranch Preserve and Flat Ranch Preserve. Please give the moose plenty of space, though, as they can be dangerous if approached too closely.

What's the Weather at Silver Creek?

Planning a trip to Silver Creek Preserve? Check the weather, updated hourly.

Conservationists Can Make A Difference

Laura Hubbard reflects on the successes conservationists have achieved by working together in today's Idaho Statesman.

An Earth Day Message from Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks, board member for The Nature Conservancy of Idaho, shares his thoughts on Earth Day as part of The Nature Conservancy's "Messages of Hope" program.

You can also read Earth Day messages by primatologist Jane Goodall, former President Jimmy Carter, NASCAR driver Ward Burton and many others.

Share your love of love of nature with a loved one, with a free card featuring Tom Hanks. Remind a friend or family member that Earth Day is April 22nd and save paper when you send any of The Nature Conservancy's special nature ecards.

Send a free conservation e-card

Send a free Nature Conservancy electronic card to a friend.

Sign up now for Silver Creek Volunteer Days

Spend a day along one of the prettiest spring creeks in the country, and help The Nature Conservancy improve visitor facilities and restore habitat. Silver Creek Preserve will hold volunteer days on May 13, 19 and 20, and June 2 and 3. Sign up by emailing Lynea Newcomer. Other volunteer and community activities will be announced here throughout the spring and summer--check back often!

Join Nature Conservancy staff and partners at the Ball Creek Ranch Preserve, located north of Bonners Ferry in the Idaho Panhandle, for two days deveoted to the exciting history of this area and current conservation projects. The agenda includes a paddling tour of the Kootenai River, a historical re-enactment of the David Thompson expedition and a seminar on non-native weeds. Email Steve Grourke for more information.

Blaine County 2025: Our Vision for the Future

The Conservancy's Laura Hubbard and Trish Klahr describe The Nature Conservancy's vision for Blaine County--"one where agriculture, abundant wildlife and a world-renowned spring creek flourish together"--in this week's Wood River Journal and Idaho Mountain Express.

Nature's Spectacles: Spring Sage Grouse Displays

The snow has barely begun to melt in most places, but in the sagebrush country across Idaho, the sage grouse are returning to their annual display grounds. Each spring, male grouse puff up, strut and pop air sacs on these display grounds, called leks. It's one of the most memorable natural spectacles in Idaho.

Sage grouse are in decline throughout their range. The Nature Conservancy is working in Idaho to protect some of the most important sage grouse habitat left. The Crooked Creek Project, located northwest of Dubois, is a model for sage grouse management on working lands. The Conservancy is working with partners, like the North American Grouse Partnership, to protect and improve wildlife habitat.















Some of the best remaining sagebrush habitat, for grouse and other wildlife, is in the Owyhees in southwestern Idaho. Here, The Nature Conservancy is part of the Owyhee Initiative, a cooperative effort to protect sagebrush habitat and the ranching culture of the Owyhees.

Thanks to dedicated Nature Conservancy supporter and bird photographer Bob Griffith for use of these photos, all taken on Crooked Creek Ranch.

Foothills Learning Center Offers Summer Programs

The Idaho Statesman announced a full schedule this summer for the Foothills Learning Center, located in Boise in the Hulls Gulch Reserve, off the 8th Street extension. The Nature Conservancy helped fund this center dedicated to environmental education, as part of our outreach to educate people about conserving the Boise Foothills.

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