News & Press

LAKE WENATCHEE — The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust raised $1.1 million in four months to contribute to the purchase of Nason Ridge — moving one step closer to keeping the 3,714 acres of forested land accessible to the public forever. “We hit and passed our goal in a short amount of time,” said Curt Soper, the land trust’s executive director. “It says a lot about our community.” The area overlooks Lake Wenatchee and includes Nason Creek, a crucial salmon habitat that feeds the Wenatchee River.

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust will temporarily close its Mountain Home Preserve to the public beginning October 23rd. Thirty acres of CDLT’s 170-acre property on Mountain Home Road above Leavenworth will be thinned to improve its health and resilience to drought, bark beetle attack, and wildfire. 

Fall seems like a weird time to be talking about bird nests. Birds nest in the spring, right?

But it’s actually a great time for kids to go looking for nests. Why? Because looking for them in the spring can be difficult for children — and dangerous for the birds.

In the fall, once leaves are off the trees, finding nests can be easier and quicker. You can practice getting an eye for where they might be found. Plus, some birds nest near where they nested previously, so it’s a good way to scope out where to look in the spring.

Kids these days.

In truth, though, kids these days spend more time on screens than ever before. Some kinds of screen time can be beneficial for kids older than 18 months, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). But too much of the wrong kind can cut into healthy activities like sleep, social interaction and spending time in nature.

WENATCHEE — Preserving the environment for future generations.

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust took steps this week to further that goal by purchasing two pieces of property, according to a Chelan-Douglas Land Trust news release. The properties include about 17 acres to expand the Jacobson Preserve, as well as 40 acres of floodplain on the Wenatchee River.

For the month of October, Alpine Lakes High Camp is donating 25% of all booking proceeds to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust to support our conservation work in our beautiful corner of the world. The Land Trust is thrilled by the incredible generosity of Alpine Lakes High Camp!

This is a rare opportunity to have easy access to remote mountain lakes during the peak of glorious autumn colors AND support the Land Trust. Think golden larches, fiery-crimson Cascade huckleberry bushes and the sparkle of crystal clear alpine lakes. Don’t miss a special get-away in a special place!

As you read this, thousands of salmon are swimming up the Columbia River, trying to make it home to North Central Washington.

I talked to our friends at Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group (CCFEG), a local group that works to improve conditions for native fish, about fun ways kids can get out, experiencing this amazing migration with their families.

Read the full article at the Wenatchee World. 

WENATCHEE — While much of Wenatchee was still in bed or just getting their day going, Batman and Superwoman were roaming the Wenatchee foothills.

With the help of a local guide, the young brother, sister duo led a group of about a dozen up a dusty trail through the Jacobson Preserve. Batman — true identity Miles Radillo, 5 years old — scampered along out the front. Superwoman, 3-year-old Alanis Radillo, did too, but sometimes rode on mom or dad’s shoulders, red cape bobbing in the breeze.

I used to be scared of bats. Let’s be honest, their tiny faces can be terrifying at first glance. On top of that, plenty of myths about bats fed my fears.

But the truth is, once I learned a little bit about them, I realized they are some of the coolest creatures on earth. They rarely pose a threat to humans. In fact, if you hate mosquitos, you should probably love bats! Now, I think seeing a bat at dusk is a treat.

If ever there existed a place where timber is more valuable as scenery than as plywood, the south shore of Lake Wenatchee is it.

Anyone who has spent time at Lake Wenatchee State Park understands this. The park, one of the most popular in the state, sits just below Nason Ridge, with clear views of the forested hillside.

And so, not surprisingly, when Weyerhaeuser asked the state DNR for a permit to clear-cut and selectively harvest 206 acres of its property on Nason Ridge last year, people around here got mighty upset.

Earlier this month, my co-worker was talking about how much fun her kids had on the Sauer’s Mountain Trail the previous weekend. I was surprised — that trail is beautiful, but it’s a steep climb. Sometimes I turn whiny on that trail, and I am a full-fledged adult. Her kids are 6 and 9 years old. I asked her what her secret was — how did she keep them having fun?

LAKE WENATCHEE — The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and Western Rivers Conservancy have teamed up to work on permanently conserving Lake Wenatchee’s Nason Ridge.

“There’s a tremendous amount of interest in seeing this area conserved in the greater Lake Wenatchee community,” Sue Doroff, president of Western Rivers Conservancy, said Monday.

Western Rivers signed an agreement to buy 3,714 acres from Weyerhaeuser Company in March. It includes a steep, forested mountainside on the southeastern shore of Lake Wenatchee.