Ahh, another trip around the sun brings us to that special time of year where resolutions and goals are made for the year ahead. Sure, you’ve heard of the usual resolutions about becoming a healthier person, or improving a skillset, or perhaps learning something completely new.
But what about resolving to connect more with the natural world? Or to heighten your understanding and knowledge of the lands that we call home here across the Palouse and north-central Idaho?
We asked the PLT Board of Directors, Advisory Members, and staff for their suggestions on activities, literature and podcasts, favorite local outdoor places, other inspiring conservation and nature organizations, and go-to nature social media pages and blogs. Check out their ideas and make sure to add at least a few to your 2022 resolutions list.
Activities that best connect you to the land
Native plant and bird identification have been huge for me, including planting native species on my own property. I feel so much more connected to the world around me when I can recognize and name its inhabitants! - Karl M
Doing wilderness trail projects with the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation - Lovina E
It's not glamorous but just "sitting with nature" practicing nature observation while stationary. While I love hiking, biking, boating, etc. those activities are often about doing those activities. By placing focus on nature first, activity second, changes what I experience. Does that make me a super hippy? Haha! - Marcel R
Oddly, an activity that connects me most intimately with nature is done largely indoors - especially during these short winter days. I like to integrate nature into my wood art projects. For example, the footboard of my bed is a carved wetland scene. - Susan F, advisory member
Looking for animal signs is really interesting and creates a connection to how nature works, even when we haven’t seen the animals. For instance last year we found where we think a moose had given birth, and also where a cougar and a deer (?) had fought over a lot of ground (the deer lost). I always wanted to be a tracker and have a lot of books about that. Nowadays I mainly stick to our land but make forays up the mountain in the spring and late fall when it’s cooler. - Dale M, board member
Building new trail on Moscow Mountain has really given me to opportunity to watch a full season’s worth of wildflowers! - Colin P, board member
Birdwatching and bird photography - Karl M
Mushroom hunting has become a favorite passion in the spring and early summer. It takes even an ordinary hike or saunter to a new level by forcing you to look closely at the forest floor, recognize different biomes, and focus on the small stuff. Even without mushrooms, there are always treasures to find! - Jaime JW
Literature, media, podcasts, and other content to deepen your understanding and knowledge of nature and conservation
I absolutely love Emergence Magazine for inspirational reading. The voices contained within have brought about wonder and curiosity about the natural world and transformed my understanding of ecology topics. Articles in print and podcast. - Lovina E
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. - Marcel R
One of my books of the year is Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty, a 17-year old autistic kid from Northern Ireland. Incredible connection of nature and humanity. - Susan F
Adventure Journal. Printed quarterly, AJ features longer stories, essays, and beautiful photography that covers a wide variety of outdoor topics. I particularly enjoyed a piece on rafting the Middle Fork of the Salmon and another on Fly-fishing for Steelhead. - Stephanie S, board member
Threatened. This podcast produced by BirdNote highlights the connection between birds, people, and the places we love. If you haven't already listened, consider starting with "Curlews, Sparrows, and the Ecological Tres the Palouse Prairie. - Stephanie S
Timber Wars from Oregon Public Broadcasting was wonderfully insightful, and Inland NW Weather Blog. - Colin P
Aldo Leopold’s A Land Ethic. No matter how many times I read it, I appreciate or pick up something new. Wild Green Memes for Ecological Fiends on Facebook, Eastern Washington/North Idaho Insects and Spiders Group on FB. - Jaime JW
Pacific Northwest Birders Group on Facebook. - Karl M
Favorite outdoor spaces within 100-ish miles of Moscow/Pullman
The University of Idaho Arboretum, Rose Creek Nature Preserve, Heyburn State Park, Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, and Hells Gate State Park. - Karl M
I have a deep connection to Grandmother Mountain, which is about a two hour drive from Moscow. - Lovina E
Also not glamorous, but Spud Hill right above Deary is a local treasure. - Marcel R
I love the Selway River. I’ve spent most of my career looking at rivers that are broken and battered. Sitting beside a river that still runs free and relatively unscathed warms my heart and soul. - Susan F
The unexplored (by most people) areas of Moscow Mountain and areas to the east – old mines (white cross, etc.) and the history around them fascinate me for some reason as it’s the ‘rough and tumble’ part of Latah County history. Though I can’t walk as far anymore, I’ve spent countless hours of my life walking in places where I’ve not seen another person for an entire day. These days, that is a rarity but we still have it here. - Dale M
Asotin Creek Wildlife area. There are several nice trails for hiking and biking year-round (though there is currently a large area closed for elk and crop protection). We love to see the big horn herds and do some birding. - Stephanie S
I recently made my way into the upper Little North Fork of the Clearwater for a quick adventure. I will be going back for a longer duration for sure. - Colin P
Pittsburgh Landing in Hells Canyon and the Wallowa Mountains are two local favorites - Asa C, board of directors
McCroskey State Park and Skyline Road, anywhere on the Lochsa River, and Dworshak Reservoir are my most treasured spaces to hike/swim/fish. - Jaime JW
Inspiring conservation and nature groups to follow
The Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation. - Lovina E
I have to give this nod to the amazing and impactful work of our own Latah Soil and Water Conservation District. Some years ago, they set out to redefine how restoration revegetation is done, and their success is unrivaled. They continue to improve and perfect their techniques with imagination and humor. I’ve been so proud to work all these years alongside the remarkable and humble people of Latah SWCD. - Susan F
I find Stewardship Partners in Seattle an amazing organization for their approach to conservation, for two big reasons. One, their “Salmon Safe” tag and the revenue it creates helps funds them on a sustainable basis. Second, they seek to find common ground for seemingly intractable situations between landowners and conservation goals, and assume the best in people’s goals for the land – and in general, they end up being right and finding real solutions. - Dale M
Protect Our Winters. This non-partisan group is focused on climate advocacy for the winter sports community. - Stephanie S
Inland Northwest Land Conservancy and the Aldo Leopold Foundation. - Jaime JW