Dear Earth
By Savannah WillisonReader Contributor Dear Earth, I’m writing to you today to express my gratitude toward you. How you’re always changing, adapting, demanding. Thank you for the sunshine, it’s been needed. Thank you for...
Category: Garden Corner
Protecting the Kootenai River from mountaintop removal coal mining
By Jennifer EkstromReader Contributor Pollution from five mountaintop removal coal mines in the Canadian Rockies is flowing downstream through British Columbia, and into the Kootenai River of Idaho, Montana and beyond. Selenium and other...
Slug Tales from Zone 6: Identifying native spring flowers
By Soncirey MitchellReader Staff Tulips, daffodils and crocuses may get all the attention in spring for their early, colorful blooms, but they’re nowhere near as sweet-smelling, beneficial or long-lasting as Idaho’s native flowers. April...
Slug Tales from Zone 6: Spring blossoms
By Soncirey MitchellReader Staff We’re more than halfway through March, and already the local stores are flooded with spring-planted bulbs, seed packets and wildflower mixes by the pound. Even though winter showed up (for...
Idaho Master Naturalists Pend Oreille Chapter offers 2026 classes
By Reader Staff The Pend Oreille Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalists announced its slate of classes for 2026, including topics such as native wildlife and plants, waterways, mountains and geology of the area....
Holding the line
A brief history of the Priest River Experimental Forest and a conversation with the ones who keep the legacy alive By Ben OlsonReader Staff Tucked beneath boughs of western white pine, fir, hemlock and...
Exploring the artistic Norwegian method of stacking firewood
By Ben OlsonReader Staff I grew up in a log cabin in Westmond where firewood was our primary source of heating. My dad used to trade neighbors home-brewed rhubarb wine in exchange for cutting...
Kaniksu Land Trust purchases Aster Garden Center
Retail space becomes KLT’s new home By Reader Staff The Kaniksu Land Trust has purchased Aster Garden Center, transforming the local nursery into a “mission-driven venture that supports conservation, education and community stewardship,” according...
Gardeners grow 15,844 summer meals for local kids
By Soncirey MitchellReader Staff Local gardeners came together this summer to grow and donate more than 600 pounds of fresh produce to the Lake Pend Oreille School District Summer Lunch Program. The Bonner Community...
Slug Tales from Zone 6: Preparing for fall
By Soncirey MitchellReader Staff The leaves are changing, days are shortening and nights are cooling down; autumn is right around the corner. Sandpoint’s first frost usually blankets the ground around Sept. 20, but, in...
