Thanks to everyone who came out on our plant identification walk in the Elliott State Forest!  Twenty-four hikers (and three dogs) spotted wild ginger, Siberian miner’s lettuce, licorice fern, salal, huckleberry, myrtle, sorrel, yarrow, violet, cleavers, maidenhair fern and stinging nettle, just to name a few.

Our walk took place along Palouse Creek in the beautiful Adams Ridge area. Unfortunately, on March 28th, part of the Adams Ridge area is scheduled to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Two other parcels in the Elliott, Benson Ridge and East Hakki Ridge, will also be auctioned that day. Combined, these parcels total 1,451 acres. If these lands are sold to private interests, we will no longer be able to hike, hunt, fish, forage, bird watch or otherwise enjoy them. We will also lose the ability to make public comment on how these lands are managed.

Tracts 2 and 3 of Adams Ridge are scheduled to be auctioned this fall.