Want to get involved but don't know where to start? Many local organizations offer opportunities all year long to help beautify our natural environment, from planting trees to helping restore shorelines. Here are a few of the organizations that you can get involved with as a volunteer.
THE LANDS COUNCIL
The Lands Council works to preserve and revitalize the region's forests and waterways, both within and outside the urban core. The council often hosts tree-planting events, particularly for its SpoCanopy program — a collaboration with city government to get more tree cover throughout Spokane. The Lands Council will hold its annual Earth Day tree planting on April 20 from 9 am-noon, and there'll be more opportunities from May 7-11, 9 am-1 pm. Additionally, the group will hold riparian restoration plantings in March and April and will host Spokane River cleanups in September. More information can be found at landscouncil.org.
INLAND NORTHWEST LAND CONSERVANCY
Working with private landowners and government agencies, the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy preserves land and waterways in the region. Starting on March 20, it'll begin its biweekly Waikiki Wednesdays program that brings volunteers out to Waikiki Springs to help with stewardship tasks like trail maintenance and planting. The group's Land Stewardship Program allows volunteers to help with monitoring sites, including city and state parks, which helps the conservancy and other organizations efficiently manage their many protected properties around the region. Their events page at inlandnwland.org is updated frequently with upcoming opportunities.
SPOKANE RIVERKEEPER
The Spokane Riverkeeper works to restore the Spokane River and protect it from further pollution and mistreatment. The organization regularly holds river cleanup events — including an April 20 event this year in honor of Earth Day — and it also provides bags, gloves and other materials for private river cleanups that can be scheduled at spokaneriverkeeper.org. Additionally, Spokane Riverkeeper's Community Science Program relies on volunteers to gather data on the water clarity of the Spokane River and Latah/Hangman Creek. Get more information about training and future opportunities by contacting waterkeeper Jule Schultz at [email protected].PALOUSE-CLEARWATER ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE
Since 1986, the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute has been working to educate the community about environmental issues and foster restoration projects in the region. Much of the institute's restoration work focuses on removing invasive plant species and replacing them with native plants. At its Palouse Nature Center in Moscow, Idaho, anyone can come by between 10 am-2 pm on Wednesdays to help with a variety of their ongoing projects. Upcoming events can be found at pcei.org.
