Upriver Park along the Spokane River is now open for public use. Avista Corporation partnered with the City of Spokane Parks & Recreation to create the newly-completed Upriver Park, east of the city’s University District.

Avista dedicated three acres at Mission Avenue and Upriver Drive, near Avista’s corporate campus, to create a natural open space that allows public river access and water-based recreation while contributing to an ecologically-healthy shoreline. The park project involved vacating about a third of a mile of Upriver Drive, separating Centennial Trail users from motorized vehicle traffic in what has historically been a challenging spot for the Trail.

“Upriver Park will be a revitalized space that provides more recreational access to our beautiful river,” says Garrett Jones, director of the City of Spokane Parks & Recreation. “The native vegetation, improved river views, and widened Centennial Trail are all incredible and desired assets to add to the park experiences in our community.”            

Loreen McFaul, executive director of the Friends of the Centennial Trail concurs. “Avista’s commitment to stewarding the Spokane River and Centennial Trail continues to make a positive, unique impact. Upriver Park sets a new standard for how the land between the Centennial Trail and Spokane River can be stewarded as greenway, healthy wildlife habitat, and riparian area for native plants.”

McFaul adds the park was thoughtfully designed with amenities like a wider Centennial Trail, trailhead parking, open views, and new public access to the Spokane River.

“Many Spokane residents feel unsafe on the Centennial Trail near Mission Park and along Upriver Drive because of the proliferation of illegal camping, litter, and overgrown trees and shrubs blocking open views to the river,” she says, noting that the new Upriver Park will change that.

“We are grateful to Avista for this beautiful community gift and encourage all jurisdictions and developers to repeat this concept along all 40 miles of Centennial Trail and the Spokane River in Washington.”

Find more stories about the Spokane River in the OTO archives.

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At the annual Reforest Spokane Day event on Saturday, October 23, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, The Lands Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Avista Utilities hosted hundreds of volunteers at Rimrock to Riverside, a connecting corridor between Riverside State Park and Palisades City Park, to plant 2,000 native trees and shrubs.

The area, home to moose, bobcats, coyotes, and smaller mammals, is being restored to a seasonal wetland. The plants will help shade the overhauled ponds, helping to retain standing water well into the summer months for passing wildlife, insects, and frogs that call the area home.

Reforest Spokane, an annual event for the Lands Council, brings the community together every year to learn about local ecosystems and work to make them stronger. Find out more at LandsCouncil.org.

Volunteers planted 2000 trees and shrubs for Reforest Spokane. // Photos courtesy of The Lands Council

View more photos from the Reforest Spokane event at landscouncil.org/reforest-spokane-day.

Find more stories about wildlife and conservation visit the OTO archives.

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Check out our new section on local food manufacturers. That’s No-Li Brewery on the front cover. Click the thumbnails above to read.

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This just in from the City of Spokane:

City of Spokane Recognized for Planning Work Around Sustainability, Climate Change
Mayor’s Sustainability Task Force helped lead the way

The City of Spokane has been recognized for its planning work to lessen its impact on climate change and encourage sustainable practices.

The City of Spokane, has received a 2010 American Planning Association (APA) and Planning Association of Washington (PAW) Joint Planning award for its “Greenhouse Gas” inventory reports and Sustainability Action Plan. The award honors the City’s superior planning efforts and will be featured by PAW in The Western Planner Journal and APA Washington in The Washington Planner.

The award also extends to those assisting with these efforts, including the Mayor’s Sustainability Task Force, Task Force Chair Roger Woodworth, and two interns—Brandon Betty and Leon Letson—who assisted with the work.

“The City of Spokane is committed to facing the climate change challenge head-on,” says Mayor Mary Verner. “Working with our elected officials and the Sustainability Task Force, Spokane will implement plans that address this challenge.” The Mayor continues, “Winning this award for our planning efforts truly marks years of efforts.”

In 2001, the City of Spokane joined more than 350 local governments in the U.S. and 800 local governments worldwide in ICLEI’s Climate Protection Campaign. In 2007, former Mayor Dennis Hession signed the U.S. Conference of Mayor Climate Protection Agreement, and under that agreement Spokane aims to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocal targets of a 7 percent reduction in greenhouse gas inventories by 2012.

These efforts were further established through a resolution developed by then Council Member Verner and passed by the City Council also in 2007, which established support for work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other sustainable actions.

In 2008 and 2009, the Mayor’s Sustainability Task Force further developed these ideas in the City’s Sustainability Action Plan, which also was adopted by City Council.

The work complemented the City’s work to develop its Greenhouse Gas inventory and related reduction targets. The City has determined trends and evaluated the effects that certain policies and actions have on greenhouse gas emissions. The City of Spokane is doing its part to assist in a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, reducing such emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020.

In recent years, the City has taken a series of steps designed to reduce its impact on the environment, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and become more sustainable. Among other things, the City is:

* Promoting the use of alternative transportation options and the complete streets concept.
* “Greening” our City fleet. We’re using re-refined motor oil, adding all-electric vehicles, and more.
* Adding community gardens throughout the City.
* Finding new uses for recycled products, including using recycled glass in street projects.
* Encouraging people to conserve water and offering rebates for making good water choices.
* Adding educational materials at City Hall and our libraries.

Implementing the latest in technology to save energy, including a new program that turns off our computers when they’re not in use.
* Accepting food scraps in our yard waste carts for composting in the middle of July.
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For more information about Spokane’s sustainability efforts or to read the greenhouse gas inventory reports, visit GreenSpokane.org.

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Find out what local experts think about the state of, and future of, Eastern Washington’s environmental laws.

In a forum presented by the Spokane County Democrats, the Center for Justice and Gonzaga Law School, presenters will share their ideas on how to improve current policies. The event is from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on August 24th at the Barbieri Courtroom on the Gonzaga Campus. (Click here for a campus map.) Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

The panel is moderated by dean of Gonzaga Law School, Earl Martin and includes the following presenters:

Kitty Klitzche, Eastern Washington Coordinator of Futurewise, discussing the import of Washington’s Growth Management and presenting Growth Management 101.

Mike Chappell, Director of the GU Environmental Law Clinic, speaking on Clean Water Act 101 and the Spokane River.

Joel Merkel, Sen. Maria Cantwell‘s DC Legislative Aid on Environmental Issues, to discuss a Federal legislative update, funding as part of stimulus and how the Sentator’s work on the Energy Committee is resulting in local successes.

Bruce Howard, Director of Environmental Affairs for Avista, speaking on Local Business and Environmental Partnerships

Mike Petersen, Lands Council, presenting a national NEPA success story discussing National Forest collaboration and NEPA.

Sam Mace, Inland NW Director for Save Our Wild Salmon, speaking on Finding Common Ground on Salmon Recovery.

Breean Beggs, Chief Catalyst for the Center for Justice, speaking on local environmental issues and initiatives.

Send your RSVP to vote@spokanedemocrats.org.

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August 12 is Go Green Night at Avista Stadium.

The Go Green Directory and Avista are sponsoring a night at the ballpark dedicated to environmental sustainability. Join the Spokane Indians in learning ways to “go green.” Sign up at the game for a chance to win an energy saving appliance!

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