Land Trust News

Kelly Kountz Photo / Courtesy of Gallatin Valley Land Trust

Kaniksu Land Trust Officially Opens Pine Street Woods

by Glenn Marx, MALT Executive Director: Kaniksu Land Trust and about 200 supporters, partners, funders, community leaders and more officially opened Pine Street Woods on a picture-perfect Saturday in Sandpoint on Sept. 21. Pine Street Woods, 180 acres of trees, hills, trails, flowers, and vast potential, is a gift to the community of Sandpoint. The 180 acres rests just west of Sandpoint and will be managed by KLT to ensure the property offers tremendous conservation, recreation and education assets to area residents. On Sept. 21, the grand opening included: Yoga, a trail run, several different educational hikes, mountain bike rides, education about native trees and the emerging Pine Street Woods forest management plan, a kids program with KLT’s Dave Kretzschmar, a community picnic, bluegrass music, an ice cream social, star gazing, and other activities. The day also featured a “ribbon” cutting, with the ribbon composed of native Pine Street Woods grasses and vegetation. KLT executive director Katie Egland Cox and KLT board president Jim Zuberbuhler led the crowd in the ribbon cutting, which ceremonially opened Pine Street Woods to the public. Pine Street Woods is a remarkable accomplishment, and it is a national example of community conservation that achieves not just conservation, but weaves in tremendous outdoor recreation and outdoor education benefits as well. Big tip of the hat to previous KLT executive director Eric Grace for his leadership on this project. It is breathtaking to realize how much KLT has accomplished in such a short amount of time. And the truth is, they’re just getting started.