OUR GEM: Re-MEMBER-ing the Kootenai Environmental Alliance

OUR GEM: Re-MEMBER-ing the Kootenai Environmental Alliance

By Cynthia Rozyla, Kootenai Environmental Alliance Board Chair Over the last 50 years, Kootenai Environmental Alliance (KEA) has been a leader in environmental activism, advocacy, and education in conserving, protecting and restoring North Idaho. When it comes to Our Gem, KEA has been and will continue to be a voice for Coeur d’Alene Lake and all the water resources of this wonderful part of the country. As with many non-profits, we have had our ups and downs through COVID, staff…

OUR GEM: Healthy Soils Protect Our Water

OUR GEM: Healthy Soils Protect Our Water

By Joni Kindwall-Moore Public awareness about soil health has increased in recent years, and more people from outside of ranching and farming communities have learned about the role that soil plays in our world. Since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, government entities like the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have been implementing soil health initiatives. Understanding the complex interactions between soil, human health, and environmental quality is essential for sustainable land and water management. Many natural processes occur in…

Conservation Easements: “Forever” Protection in the Coeur d’Alene Basin

Conservation Easements: “Forever” Protection in the Coeur d’Alene Basin

Guest author: Carol Corbin, Director of Philanthropy and Communications (INLC) The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy (INLC) is a regional land trust, serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho and our mission is to conserve, care for, and connect with lands and waters essential to life in the Inland Northwest. We envision a future of interconnected natural habitats throughout the Inland Northwest, supporting thriving populations of native plants and wildlife. INLC–and other organizations like it–protect land through agreements called “conservation easements. “Conservation…

Citizen Coordinating Council

OUR GEM: Citizen Coordinating Council

What does citizen engagement mean? According to Robert Langley, a retired urban planning professional, it means participation in “activities intended to improve the quality of life in one’s community by addressing issues of public concern…and developing the knowledge and skills needed to address those issues (Longley, Robert. “What Is Civic Engagement? Definition and Examples.” ThoughtCo, Oct. 4, 2022, thoughtco.com/what-is-civic-engagement-definition-and-examples-5072704).” Citizen engagement can provide meaningful input for decision-making and project implementation.  Decision makers realize public involvement and awareness is important –…

De-ice Trucks, Photo courtesy of The City of Coeur d’Alene

OUR GEM: Ice Deice Baby!

One of the many perks of North Idaho is the four defined seasons we get to experience every year. Spring brings us flowers and sunshine, summer brings us long days full of adventure, in fall we watch the leaves change, and in winter we enjoy a multitude of snow sports. The challenges of winter, though, include walking and driving conditions. To combat snow and ice, the City of Coeur d’Alene has an annual snow plan, approved each year by City…

What do you value and why?

What do you value and why?

The following reflection was written and delivered by Post Falls resident, Jamie Esler, as part of Boise State University’s “Idaho Listens” event held at the Hagadone Event Center this past October. To learn more about Idaho Listens, or to watch all of the local speakers from the Coeur d’Alene Event, visit https://www.boisestate.edu/americanvalues/idaho-listens/ What do you value and why? The two of us sat on the ground within a few feet of each other but the berries were so thick we…

OUR GEM: Surveys Show Kootenai County Residents Prioritize Open Space Preservation

By Greta Gissel, Executive Director Connect Kootenai COEUR D’ ALENE, ID – According to a study just released by the Coeur d’Alene Area Economic Development Corporation, Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance, and the University of Idaho titled “Next Steps: The Updated Housing Availability and Affordability Study,” Kootenai County from 2010 to 2020 experienced 17.3% growth, making it the third fastest growing county in Idaho. From 2021 to 2022, Idaho grew 1.82% making it the second fastest growing state in the country….

OUR GEM: Coeur d’Alene Lake Management, Moving Forward

OUR GEM: Coeur d’Alene Lake Management, Moving Forward

The health of Coeur d’Alene Lake and its trajectory have received a lot of attention over the last few years. Recently the conversation has centered around two tandem efforts: 1) the National Academy of Science’s (NAS) review of lake data and recommendations for future lake management, and 2) Gov. Brad Little’s Leading Idaho Initiative for Coeur d’Alene Lake. Both efforts were spurred by recent data reports of lake water quality trends that showed key indicators (including phosphorus, a nutrient in…

OUR GEM: What is the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission?

OUR GEM: What is the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission?

In 1983, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex in Northern Idaho as a Superfund site due to the high level of heavy metals that had been released into the environment by mining operations.  The initial Bunker Hill remediation (clean-up) area was restricted to a 21 square mile area around Kellogg called “The Box.” In 2002, EPA released an Interim Record of Decision, officially expanding the scope of the clean-up to the…

OUR GEM: What determines a drought

OUR GEM: What determines a drought

By Erin Whorton, NRCS Water Supply Specialist | July 30, 2023 After the past few years of drought in Idaho, the wet winter was a welcome relief for many Idahoans.  However, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) map, dry conditions still linger in northern Idaho. With 40% of Idaho lands experiencing drought conditions this summer, you may be wondering how drought maps are decided. The USDM map classifies drought conditions under six intensity categories. Normal indicates a lack of drought, while…