REI Spokane invites community to get dirty April 9

If you’ve ever hiked a trail, rode a bike or rowed a boat anywhere in the Northwest, chances are you’ve reveled in the area’s beauty but also thought what a shame it was that more care wasn’t taken to keep parts of it clean. Here’s your chance to help clean and green things up! Join REI Spokane and the Dishman Hills Natural Area Association for REI’s annual “Get Dirty Service Project” at the Dishman Hills Natural Resource Area, Saturday, April 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Although REI (Spokane) sponsors several service projects every year, this is our big one,” said Carol Christensen, REI Outreach Specialist. “Last year, we planted about 1,000 trees and spread about 1,000 pounds of native plant seed with the help of 300 or more volunteers.” Funded by a grant from REI’s giving budget—which consists of 3 percent of the previous year’s operating profit—REI’s annual “service project” is predominantly guided by employee nominations and focuses on grassroots efforts that engage members and customers in the communities they serve. The project is awarded to an organization according to its impact on REI’s goals to increase outdoor recreation and conservation. To best ensure these giving efforts lead to positive change, REI works closely with every grantee to leverage resources and relationships. Although this is the second year in a row for Dishman Hills to be awarded the grant, Christensen said the support is based purely on need and the projected impact the project will have on the community. Prior service project grantees have included the Spokane River Clean-up, Fish Lake Trail, SpokeFest, Conservation Northwest, and YMCA Camp Reed. Along with other clean-up partners—Spokane Mountaineers, The Lands Council, Inland Northwest Land Trust, Gonzaga University, the Inland Northwest Backcountry Horsemen and Sierra Club Inner City Outings—Christensen said crews of volunteers will be pulling weeds, planting trees and shrubs, building trails and fences, and removing transient camps, as well as a giving the Camp Caro entrance off of Appleway Boulevard a “facelift.” “We’re going to be primarily working on the northwest entrance to the area…removing noxious weeds, planting native grasses, and putting up a fence among other things,” said Christensen. “A special thanks to Spokane County Parks and Recreation who will be opening the park up early this year to accommodate the event so we can get all this done” Located in the southwest pocket of Appleway Boulevard and Argonne Road, the Dishman Hills Area covers 530 acres of lush woodland made up of wetlands, small ravines, ponds, large chunks of granite, ponderosa pine, close to 300 different flowering plants and 73 species of mushrooms. The area also supports wildlife, such as coyotes, marmots, white-tailed deer, pheasants, and dozens of butterfly species. Protected by the Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, as well as the non-profit Dishman Hills Natural Area Association, hopes are that eventually the land included in the Dishman Hills will be connected via a conservation corridor to the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge in Cheney, Wash. REI has been voted by its employees and FORTUNE magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” for 11 consecutive years, and defines the word ‘community’ with its commitment to employee recognition, conservation and stewardship efforts throughout the past 70 years. As the nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI has more than 3.5 million active members and 10,000-plus employees throughout 115 stores nation-wide. Pre-registration for the event is free and recommended by heading to the REI web site (www.rei.com/event/19036/session/23488) — the first 100 to do so will receive a free “Get Dirty” organic cotton t-shirt—however everyone is welcome the day of the event. Event check-in begins at 9:30 a.m. at Camp Caro (northwest entrance to the Hills, just off Appleway Boulevard), with the project beginning at 10 a.m. Coffee will be provided by Wake-up Call Coffee and pizza, compliments of Pizza Rita. Water will be available as well. Volunteers need to bring work gloves and water bottles. Rakes, shovels, a variety of pruning tools (non-powered), and wagons/wheelbarrows are also helpful, but not required. If you’re interested in touring the Dishman Hills before the clean-up, sign up for the Annual Buttercup Hike and guided tour, Saturday, April 2, at 1 p.m. For more information, visit www.dhnaa.org/.