News & Press

WENATCHEE — Each year, the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust asks volunteers to spend a few hours shoveling and raking the thin dirt strips that zigzag through the Wenatchee foothills. It’s simple but important work that improves trail health, and the time to do it is in the spring when soils are malleable.

“We have very limited soil moisture in Wenatchee, so we tend to try and do a big push for spring maintenance in order to work with the trail tread and the soil when it’s soft and wet,” said Hanne Beener, trail programs manager with the Land Trust.

Curious Wenatchee area residents and visitors can use a newly published brochure to guide identification of locally common native plants and animals. The Wenatchee Area Field Guide is lightweight, waterproof, and costs $8.95. Users are introduced to over 100 native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Color illustrations accompany descriptive texts, helping the observer to quickly identify species.

We took stock of trails and road conditions. Here's what you should know:

Last Thursday, the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust celebrated the retirement of development director Sharon Lunz. During her 17 years there, Sharon played a vital, behind-the-scenes role in transforming CDLT from a just-barely surviving nonprofit to one with a multi-million budget and a positive impact on the two counties.

Consultants for the City of Wenatchee will be surveying and field testing at Saddle Rock Park the week of April 8th, 2019. In order to perform this work they will be using ATV’s which are normally not allowed on Saddle Rock, but per City of Wenatchee code 6A.18.060 (6), is allowable with express permission of the parks and recreation department.

This work is for the design of an arsenic remediation project due to mining waste piles on Saddle Rock. Construction is planned for late summer 2019. If you have any questions please contact:

Charlotte Mitchell, PE

Land Trust, Chelan PUD and partners hope for April 5 opening depending on conditions  

OLYMPIA — The state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to establish a community forest pilot program.

Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 5873, which passed with a 41-5 vote. It now heads to the House of Representatives.

Nason Ridge is one of three projects the program would fund through the state’s capital budget. If the bill becomes law and the program is successful, Hawkins said, legislators could pursue an ongoing statewide grant program.

We have gotten so much snow in February that it’s hard to imagine any animals are up and moving about. But underneath all that snow, many animals have stayed cozy and warm despite the cold temperatures.

How? The fluffy snow acts as a blanket, keeping the ground warmer than the air. This creates a space called the subnivean zone, which is what we’re exploring today.

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The state of recreation is strong. And we’ve got to do something about climate change, or we’ll lose out on investments in access and infrastructure. Those are the headlines from a conversation about the state of recreation with Jon Snyder, the first Policy Advisor on Outdoor Recreation and Economic Development in the state of Washington (and the founder of this publication).

New nature preserve protects high-quality shrub-steppe in Douglas County.

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT) has recently acquired 1,396 acres in northern Douglas County for the purpose of conserving its high quality shrub-steppe and wetland habitats. Spiva Butte Nature Preserve is home to several sensitive species of plants, wildlife and birds. Most notably, the preserve provides critical habitat for one of the last two viable sage-grouse populations remaining in Washington State, and becomes the first Land Trust owned preserve in Douglas County.

It can be challenging to figure out how to get outside with kids during the winter. Sometimes the ground is covered in a blanket of snow as deep as some toddlers are tall!

Luckily there are plenty of organizations who offer low-cost or free, family friendly outings to help you make the most of this season. Find a few opportunities below.

Guided Family Snowshoe Hikes

Quick! Do you know what phase the moon is in, without looking?

Now that the days are so short, we have less time to spend outside in the sunshine. But, that also means we have more time to spend with the night sky! When we’re children, we’re naturally fascinated by space — by the vastness of it, by the stars, the planets and black holes.

The moon also captures our attention. Where did it come from? Why does it look like that? Kids love to ponder these questions. Here are a few ways to learn about the moon with little ones.