Our Gem
About
The Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative is a team of committed and passionate professionals working to preserve lake health and protect water quality by promoting community awareness of local water resources through education, outreach and stewardship.
Our Gem includes local experts from the University of Idaho’s IWRRI, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Kootenai County.
Resources & Tools
Water quality is a shared responsibility. We rely on our entire community to address nonpoint source pollution (the kind that accumulates across the landscape). If you live in the Coeur d’Alene Basin there are a lot of ways you can reduce your impact on water quality. While this may seem overwhelming, we have tools and resources for our community that provide simple ideas for protecting Our Gem.
Coeur d’Alene Basin Video Tour
The Coeur d’Alene Basin covers thousands of miles across three northern Idaho counties. It includes several rivers and smaller tributaries that drain into Coeur d’Alene Lake. These waterways are impacted by millions of tons of contaminated sediment from the area’s long mining history. Take the video tour to learn more about the history, challenges and progress being made throughout the basin.
LakeASyst
The Our Gem Collaborative launched a survey in the summer of 2021 to learn about community perceptions of Coeur d’Alene Lake health. Over 1,000 community members responded, sharing their views on water quality of the Lake, threats of highest concern and other topics. The Collaborative will use the results of this survey to better shape messaging around lake health in future community outreach efforts.
Lake Survey Results
The Our Gem Collaborative launched a survey in the summer of 2021 to learn about community perceptions of Coeur d’Alene Lake health. Over 1,000 community members responded, sharing their views on water quality of the Lake, threats of highest concern and other topics. The Collaborative will use the results of this survey to better shape messaging around lake health in future community outreach efforts.
Meet Our Team
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Mike Wood
Operations and Outreach Coordinator
U of I Coeur d’Alene
Growing up fishing and hunting in the Pacific Northwest endowed in me a desire to protect nature, which we get so much from. Our Gem informs the community about how to be good stewards of this amazing treasure we all share in Lake Coeur d’Alene.
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Jamie Brunner
Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Supervisor
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
I support Our Gem as a community-based approach to preserving our shared natural resources and our quality of life.
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David Callahan
Community Development Director
Kootenai County
Fundamental to the notion of good land use planning is the inclusion of community values and aspirations into the planning process. As Kootenai County’s most identifiable and value laden natural resource, the protection of Coeur d’Alene Lake’s water quality and environs should take center stage in our planning efforts.
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Rebecca Stevens
Restoration Coordinator/Hazardous Waste Mgt. Program Manager
Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Coeur d’Alene Lake lies within the heart and cultural epicenter of the Coeur d’Alene people, and it brings me great honor to work with a collective group of multi-jurisdictional professionals to ensure water quality concerns are being addressed for not only the Tribe but the Coeur d’Alene Basin community as a whole.
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Sharon Bosley
Executive Director
Basin Environmental Improvement Commission
The Our Gem Collaborative aligns with the goal of the Basin Commission to “protect and promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people of Idaho”. This group brings together diverse perspectives, expertise, and resources to provide a comprehensive look at how we can protect the ecological health of the entire Basin.
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Cynthia Rozyla
Board Chair
Kootenai Environmental Alliance
A native of Michigan, Cynthia completed a BA of Fine Arts in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, and a minor in Photography from Central Michigan University. During her pursuit toward a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with an Environmental emphasis, she worked for government, in the for-profit sector and raised her family. Her heart was in the nonprofit world, working for a mission and a cause. In 1990, Cynthia’s gypsy spirit finally landed her in beautiful North Idaho. Owner of a small family business and founding member of a local non-profit, Cynthia’s passion for the environment led to her inclusion at KEA.
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Lindsey Beacham
IWRRI Outreach Assistant
U of I Coeur d’Alene
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Meg Wolf
IWRRI Assistant Director
U of I Coeur d’Alene