Thank you again to everyone who completed the survey, attended recent community meetings, or shared insights in other ways. You spoke, we listened, and we heard you. We are grateful for your thoughtful feedback, and your questions, ideas, and concerns are helping to shape this important conversation and process.

Some members expressed understanding and support for the concept of a proposed merger, while others raised important questions or concerns. For a merged organization to reach its full potential, broad support from members of both organizations would be essential. That kind of support is built on trust.

For some, that trust is already present. Others have shared that they need more time, information, and engagement before determining whether a merged organization is the right path forward. Land conservancies understand better than most the significant investment of time, relationship building, and careful evaluation required when considering a prospective opportunity.  For that reason, the community engagement phase of the merger exploration process will continue without a fixed timeline, in order to create space for further listening, reflection, and dialogue. Our members are the lifeblood of our organizations, and your perspectives are important to our discernment process.

This continued engagement may take many forms, including individual conversations, group discussions, collaborative projects, meetings, or other ideas that emerge from members and community partners. Each organization will continue to monitor its own strategic direction throughout this process. It is also important that DHC has the time it needs to consider questions raised during the engagement process about its interests, needs, and future.

We have added several new questions and answers to the Frequently Asked Questions sections on our respective websites in response to feedback we received. A couple of the most frequently asked questions are highlighted below.

Why are the organizations exploring a merger?

Both organizations share a commitment to protecting important lands and connecting people to nature.

The central question being evaluated is whether a merged organization would be better positioned to protect and care for the Dishman Hills and other important landscapes for generations to come. As board members of two prominent land conservation organizations in our area, it is imperative for us to consider how to best protect and conserve these landscapes into the future, with a focus on economic, social, and environmental changes on the horizon.

Dishman Hills Conservancy has built an extraordinary conservation legacy through decades of community leadership, volunteerism, and successful land protection. At the same time, perpetual stewardship of more than 1,000 acres of conservation land requires long-term organizational capacity, dedicated stewardship resources, stable funding, and the systems necessary to fulfill conservation commitments indefinitely.

One of the reasons the Boards are exploring a merger is the belief that Inland Northwest Land Conservancy has developed the governance structure, stewardship capacity, financial systems, and organizational scale necessary to help carry the Dishman Hills legacy forward into the future.

The question before both organizations is whether combining DHC's deep community roots with INLC's long-term organizational capacity would create a stronger and more resilient conservation organization than either could achieve independently.

Has a decision already been made?

No.

The purpose of the current process is to determine whether a merger should occur.

The Merger Management Committee has been gathering information, conducting due diligence, identifying opportunities and risks, and making recommendations to the Boards. No merger proposal has been completed. No final decision has been made.

The Boards are committed to making decisions based on the information developed through that process and the feedback received from members, supporters, staff, volunteers, and community partners.

We look forward to continuing these conversations with members of both organizations and welcome further engagement from those who are interested in participating. By allowing the community engagement phase to continue without a fixed timeline, we are intentionally creating more space for community input, thoughtful dialogue, and the relationship-building needed to guide any next steps with care.