In September 2005, the Spokane County Commissioners approved a short list of properties that it will seek to purchase over the next several years through its Conservation Futures Program. Two of the six selected properties are contiguous with Riverside State Park.

Pine Bluff. The “Seven Mile” nomination is a gorgeous 69-acre parcel located northwest of the city of Spokane on Pinebluff Road. It contains a rich mosaic of habitats, including scabland, seasonal and perennial wetlands, aspen clones, pine/fir forest, and emerald green meadows. It also has some stunning scenic views from its higher elevations.

The parcel is bordered on the southern side by a landlocked 80-acre Natural Area owned and managed by Riverside State Park. The nominated property includes half of a large perennial pond whose other half lies within the landlocked Natural Area.

This area is valuable habitat for moose, white-tailed deer, coyotes, marmots, porcupine, wild turkey, quail, vultures, red-tail hawk, great-horned owl, and other raptors, turtles, frogs, salamander, mallards, teal, geese and other waterfowl, red-winged blackbirds, neotropical songbirds, and other wildlife and native plants.

If the proposed County acquisition is successful, this wonderfully varied property will become a permanent buffer for the existing Natural Area and a protected corridor connecting it with the body of Riverside State Park. The public benefits of such connectivity are substantial – for wildlife, for the recreating public, for law enforcement personnel and for the efficient, economical management of public parklands.

Rene’ Wiley, the RSP Manager, has indicated Riverside’s interest in discussing management options and working cooperatively with County Parks in the management of the Pine Bluff property if it is acquired by the Conservation Futures Program. She has offered Riverside park staff assistance with various matters, including the development of a Pine Bluff trailhead designated trail, and interpretive signage to guide visitors and highlight the natural features of the area.

White Bluff. The White Bluff Prairie Coalition nominated this 754-acre parcel located west of Spokane between Riverside State Park, Newkirk Road and Old Trails Road.

This property adjoins Riverside State Park along portions of its west, north and east boundaries. County acquisition of the White Bluff property would add topographic coherence to the public parklands in the Deep Creek canyon – the westernmost portion of Riverside. Currently hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians traveling along a creekside trail between two portions of Riverside are forced by the lay of the land to trespass across a corner of this privately owned parcel.

The nominated property is occupied or used by many wildlife species both large and small. The steep rocky bluffs that surround the property on three sides provide excellent habitat for bats and vultures. Its year-round ponds provide blufftop sources of water for critters large and small, and its vernal ponds support amphibians. Many snags on the property are inhabited by cavity nesting birds and small mammals. Public acquisition of this parcel would reach an “arm” of connected parkland south towards the West Plains and Airway Heights, extending an open space corridor that would remain available for large mammals and other wildlife to move into and out of the park as the lands surrounding that corridor fill in with residential development.

That arm of parkland would also be highly valued by the residents of surrounding neighborhoods and day visitors to Riverside. The White Bluff property is located near several equestrian trailheads, and seems particularly well positioned to extend the existing trail system from Riverside. Adding publicly accessible trails on the White Bluff uplands might also reduce the impacts of equestrian recreation on the Deep Creek riparian area below.

The bluffs surrounding the nominated land are highly visible from many parts of Riverside State Park. In their current undeveloped condition, they are an integral part of the park’s scenic beauty. In addition, the elevation of the White Bluff property above much of the rest of Riverside means that there are some truly spectacular views from the bluffs looking west, north and east.

Please note that the properties described in this article have not yet been acquired by Spokane County. Currently they remain private property and are not open to the public. Similarly, until the Pine Bluff property is publicly acquired, the landlocked Natural Area described above and shown on the Riverside State Park trail map cannot be visited without trespassing. Please respect the private property rights of Riverside’s neighbors and do not trespass without permission.

It may be one or more years (if ever) before these acquisitions are completed by the County. Although the respective landowners each are very interested a sale of their land specifically for conservation purposes, no purchase agreements are yet in place. In fact, when the County Commissioners approved the 2005 Conservation Futures Priority Acquisition List (selecting from among 20 nominated properties), they directed County Parks staff to pursue acquisition of the three smallest properties on the list first. The Pine Bluff and Czinger selections are #4 and #5, respectively, on the basis of size. Consequently, it may be a year or more before negotiations begin in earnest. Stay tuned, and we will keep you posted.

Look for more on the Conservation Futures Program in the Foundation's January newsletter, when we'll examine how the County and City of Spokane are using Conservation Futures to piece together a protected wildlife and recreation corridor connecting Riverside and Palisades Park.

Rangers on a Roll at Riverside State Park

by Ranger Jody Maberry

On June 25, 2005 Lakeside Middle School Teacher Jim Pettet led 32 students and adults on the 5th Annual LMS Centennial Trail Bike Ride. They rode their bikes on the Centennial Trail from the Riverside State Park Ranger Station at Nine Mile Falls to Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho. From start to finish they rode 53 miles. Riverside Ranger Jody Maberry and Ranger-in-Training Rob Kennedy rode with them from Nine Mile Falls to the Idaho State Line. Maberry and Kennedy took the bike ride as an opportunity to teach the kids about bike safety, fitness, and trail etiquette. The group of students included riders of many different skill levels and the Centennial Trail gave the kids the opportunity to ride in many different environments. The kids rode through the scenic hills of Riverside State Park, the streets of Downtown Spokane, and the wide open spaces of the Spokane Valley. Each section had its own rewards and challenges. Certainly the highlight of the trip was that each student completed the entire trip. Best of all the kids learned how much fun you can have being active and staying fit.

The Lakeside Middle School Bike Ride is an example of how Rangers on bicycles are making an impact at Riverside. Riverside State Park is one of the 40 parks participating in a revitalized bike program in Washington State Parks. Several Riverside Rangers were issued fully equipped Trek 4500 mountain bikes along with bike equipment and a bike uniform. As illustrated in the Lakeside Bike Ride, the new bikes are used for educational and interpretive purposes. The new bikes are used for bike patrol on the Centennial Trail, the Bowl and Pitcher Campground, and many of your favorite dirt and gravel trails throughout the park including the 25 Mile Trail. A Ranger on a bike has the opportunity to meet and greet more park visitors and is more approachable than a Ranger in a vehicle. The bikes allow for Rangers to cover more miles than doing foot patrol alone. The new bike program will have a positive impact on Riverside as it promotes Rangers to spend more time recreating with the public. Next time you are on the Centennial Trail or in Riverside State Park lookout for a Ranger on a Roll.