NEWS

  • 16 Apr 2013 11:42 PM | Anonymous

    In the fall the members of the Dishman Hills Conservancy participated in a retreat to look at the development of a new Strategic Plan for the next 1, 3 and 5 year period. During that time a draft Mission, Vision and Core Values were established and have been under review and discussion since. At this evenings monthly Board of Directors meeting those months of work resulted in an an approved Mission, Vision and Core Values for the organization.

     

    Vision:

    The vision of the Dishman Hills Conservancy is a vibrant and contiguous ecosystem in the Dishman Hills area, permanently protected, well managed and recognized as an asset for the community.

     

    Core Values:

    Integrity  Stewardship   Advocacy

     

    Mission:

    Our mission is to conserve the lands within the Dishman Hills, Dishman Ridge and Tower Mountain areas. We work towards this goal by collaborating with private land owners, other organizations and government entities with a similar vision. We steward these lands using high standards of land trust management and we advocate for their value as a natural and educational resource.

  • 19 Mar 2013 11:00 PM | Anonymous

    Steve Trefts with the Northwest Trustee and Management Services has taken on the position as Chair of the Development Committee. Steve has years of experience in the area of professional fund raising and we are honored to have his support as a member of our Board of Directors and experience in leading this team.

  • 21 Feb 2013 5:46 PM | Anonymous

    New organization logo approved by Board of Directors.

     

  • 12 Feb 2013 4:25 PM | Anonymous
    At the January 2013 Annual Membership meeting it was determined that the Dishman Hills Natural Area Association (DHNAA) would formally change its name to the Dishman Hills Conservancy. This change was made based upon the change in scale and efforts the organization is taking. With this change then came the requirement to change our website address from www.dhnaa.org to one more appropriate to the organization. After much debate we decided on and purchased www.dishmanhills.org to fill this role. Some of you may have reached this site by typing in our old address, but due to a little Internet magic you were able to still reach our new one. Moving forward, we ask that you simply use www.dishmanhills.org in your browser and be sure to share the news and our story with all your friends, family and co-workers.
  • 15 Jan 2013 11:18 PM | Anonymous

    The Dishman Hills Conservancy annual membership meeting was held on January 15th in the Moran Prairie Library 6004 S. Regal Street Spokane, WA 99223 during which trustees were elected. Following this annual meeting the standard monthly meeting was held and the Dishman Hills Conservancy 2013 Board of Directors officers were selected. The 2013 Board of Directors are as follow:

    Jeff Lambert, President

    EnviroScience

     

    Michael Hamilton, Vice President

    Geologist

     

    Beal Lackaff, Secretary

    Retired

    Kris Wolbach, Treasurer

    McDirmid Mikkelsen & Secrest, P.S.

     

    Andrew Ashmore

    Mountain Gear

    Paula Bauer

    KHQ Incorporated

     

    Suzy Dix

    Dix Farm, Inc - Farming and Polo Horses

    Windermere - Real Estate

     

    Chris Kopczynski

    Kop Construction Co. Inc.

    Dave Lill

    Lill Construction Co.

     

    Anne McGregor

    InHealth Magazine

    Christopher Polito

    Providence Health and Services

     

    David Schaub

    Stay at Home Dad

    Steve Trefts

    Northwest Trustee and Management Services

     

    Mary Weathers

    Ph.D. Psychologist, Retired

  • 28 Oct 2012 8:11 PM | Anonymous

    Thank you to The Lands Council for selecting the Dishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area again in 2012 for their Reforest Spokane Project.


    The Dishman Hills Conservancy along with over 70 volunteers worked with The Lands Council along the north edge of the property performing habitat restoration by the lower Camp Caro parking lot. Thanks to this event and volunteers 600 trees were planted, native seed placed and compost spread to help improve the soil conditions.

     

    To see pictures from this event, please click the below link to view of Facebook page.

     

    2012 Reforest Spokane - Dishman Hills

  • 30 Sep 2012 6:26 PM | Anonymous

    Thank you to the almost 60 volunteers who came out on September 29th to celebrate National Public Lands Day with us in the Dishman Hills Natural Resource Conservation Area. During this event we were able to continue one of the habitat restoration projects started on Earth Day by removing noxious knapweed around new trees, visually restore areas used as trails which are not, pick up trash and in general learn about the area and have a good time.

    Special thanks to the following groups that came out to celebrate with us:

     

    Freeman Conservation Club

    Inland Empire Chapter of the Washington State Geocaching Association

    Gonzaga Environmental Organization

    Thank you as well to the following companies that supported the Dishman Hills Conservancy in this event with additional material support:

     

    REI - donating eight "Get Dirty" Volunteer t-shirts given away via drawing

    Avista - donating mulch material

     

    You can click the link below to see images from this event

    .

    Photos - 2012 National Public Lands Day in the Dishman Hills Natural Resource Conservation Area.

     

    Please follow us on-line for additional events, opportunities and news.

     

  • 01 Sep 2012 6:45 PM | Anonymous
    Today there was a fire in the Dishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area (DHNRCA) that appears to have been started by a camp fire. The DNR fire crews were able to contain the fire to under one acre of land burned, but this is a good time to remind that there are a few rules for the DHNRCA. 1. No fires 2. Stay on the trails 

    Images from the fire have been added to the Dishman Hills Conservancy digital photo album
  • 26 Aug 2012 7:17 PM | Anonymous

    The Dishman Hills Natural Area is known for its extensive trail system, and many have had the experience of getting a bit confused (or lost!). They wonder which way is which after too many trail junctions. Well, the Dishman Hills Conservancy is currently reconsidering our trail plan to see what can be improved. This was initiated by DNR (Department of Natural Resources) announcing that they are prepared to spend $60K to do a comprehensive update to our trail signs for the Natural Area. This amount should cover a new set of signs with a few interpretive installations thrown in for environmental education. The “ball is now in our court”, and we want to present to DNR an improved trail plan. No one is sure where all the trails came from. One would assume that years of human use created the paths we see today and there is only a few trail segments that were actually designed and built. Here are some of our trail considerations:

    1)      No trail should terminate at a private property boundary

    2)      There should be trail loops where possible to circulate hikers through and within the Natural Area. Exceptions would be trails to important ecological sites or viewpoints.

    3)      Eliminate redundant trails that are shortcuts, duplicates, or Dead-ends.

    4)      Limit trails in areas of sensitive ecology.

    We must remember that our goal here is first to protect the natural and native ecology. Secondly, we want to provide public access to experience what we are conserving. We do not want to design a recreational or sports area which would slowly consume the very thing that draws people here in the first place, a fine piece of northwest forest in our backyard. The conservancy has felt for some time now that supporting a trail that leads onto private property is not right. We realize that a hiker trekking down a trail might pay little attention to where the path goes from public to private. Part of this project will be to design and build new trail segments that complete loops in the existing trail system, so hikers will not face the dilemma or having to stop and turn around at a private property boundary. Another important goal will be to decommission trail segments with a program of trail and environmental restoration. Sounds like a lot of work? It is, but we can break it down into several smaller campaigns of work t get the job done. Sometime in the next year you will find new signs, new trails, and restored trail paths. Please respect trail closure signs, so the forest can heal itself and the paths can disappear, naturally.

  • 12 Jul 2012 10:39 PM | Anonymous
    The Dishman Hills Natural Area Association Board has changed the name of the organization to Dishman Hills Conservancy to reflect the significant conservation land owned and stewardship activities outside of the Natural Area. DHC still focuses on the Dishman Hills including the Natural Resource Conservation Area to the north and Rocks of Sharon on the south side, but will as well be helping with the new Dishman Hills Conservation Area, Iller Creek Conservation Area and lots of other projects.

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PO Box 8536
Spokane, WA 99203

(509) 598-0003

RUTH GIFFORD
Executive Director

ED@DishmanHills.org


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