The USDA Forest Service is awarding $154 million to 26 projects that will conserve approximately 168,000 acres of private forest lands across the United States.
The investments will ensure that these forest lands will remain working forests while advancing the most critical conservation issues, like protecting watersheds, reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires, and conserving habitat for at-risk species.
Idaho was awarded $5M for the Spirit of Mount Spokane Conservation Project in
Kootenai County.
This project adds 6,504 acres of Idaho lands to a multi-state conservation easement effort that will safeguard a total of 40,891 acres of working forest lands and provide access to a recreational gem.
This project is within the recharge zone of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, replenishing the water system and supplying clean drinking water to over 675,000 people in Kootenai and Spokane counties.
