Current dialogue

Tonilee Hanson from the Spokane River Forum says my story is too common, and an example of why the local nonprofit increases awareness about this unique local resource. I’ve spent countless dollars and travelled thousands of miles to pursue outdoor adventures and natural beauty, but have largely ignored the gem in my backyard. Hanson’s role is to encourage people like me - who see the river daily but fail to fully appreciate its value - to take a guided float on any of its 111 miles. “It is shocking how many people say they have lived here their whole lives and have never been on the river,” Hanson said. For each section of river a participant completes, they get a corresponding Expedition Stamp for their online “river passport.” Since the “Meet me at the River” float series began in 2008, 19 people have successfully filled their passports by floating all 11 sections, and 430 people have taken a trip. “The purpose of our program is to introduce people to this incredibly beautiful, natural resource, educate them about environmental challenges the river faces, and hopefully instill a personal investment in its protection,” she said. The Forum decided that getting people in boats would be more effective to promote stewardship rather than meetings and lectures. “We wanted people to get out on it, experience it, and fall in love with it,” Hanson explains. With the support of organizations like ROW, FLOW and Pangaea, the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, and the Northwest Whitewater Association, the River Forum has led nine Ecotours this season, which range from $15 to $35. Each tour explores a “wildly unique” stretch of river,” Hanson said. “The river flows through Natural Resource lands, tribal lands, the city, past expensive homes with manicured lawns … it’s incredibly diverse,” she said. Two tours remain on 2011’s schedule. On Saturday, Sept. 10, the Forum will lead kayakers from Plantes Ferry to Upriver Dam, followed by a dam tour. On Sunday, Sept. 18, the season wraps up with wine and cheese after floating what Hanson describes as “the most pristine, untouched section” - between Long Lake Dam and Little Falls Dam. One of the program’s first and most enthusiastic paddlers was, and still is, Mike LaScuola, an environmental health specialist with the Spokane Regional Health District who has maintained fish and sediment advisories since 1995. During the Forum’s first season, he attended all 11 trips, and paddled every floatable section. LaScuola’s knowledge and passion prompted the Forum to recruit him as an “Eco-expert,” a volunteer who paddles alongside participants while educating them about toxins, wildlife, environmental regulations and clean-up efforts. He believes everyone who calls Spokane home should experience the city from the river. “It’s a completely different dimension down there in that riparian habitat,” he says. “A person can live in Spokane their whole lives but if they haven’t floated the river, they haven’t really lived here.” LaScuola’s calls the entire river his favorite section. For instance, the stretch from Long Lake to Little Falls Dam has “the most beautiful, huge pine trees you’ll ever see.” Or, between Upriver Dam and the downtown core you’ll see all kinds of wildlife, “and these huge, beautiful old willow trees lining the shoreline but you can hear the traffic overhead, because you’re along Mission, or under Trent, and then all of a sudden you round this bend and there are the spires of Gonzaga, and the city skyline. It’s a rare and wonderful thing to have such a natural paddle right into an urban core like that.” He vividly describes the rapids of the Bowl & Pitcher, lily pads and hills on Lake Spokane, and basalt cliffs on the Tum Tum to DNR Campground segment. “Am I selling this yet?” he laughs. Getting key decision-makers to recognize the river’s value is a continuing effort. Last year and this spring, the organization invited local leaders to learn how and why they should use their influence to protect the river. Jeanna Hofmeister, a River Forum board member and vice president of the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau, believes floats are crucial in gaining support for development of new access points. “Good access points protect the river,” she said. “People are going to use the river regardless, and the problem is that they access it in ways that harm it - by eroding the banks and riparian areas. If we give users good access with good parking and facilities, we can eliminate most of those problems.” With the CVB’s support, designs are being finalized on a new access at the Islands Trailhead, which presently only provides formal access to the Centennial Trail. Once designs are approved, fundraising efforts will begin for construction. Both the CVB and the Forum hope to see more access points downtown, something both groups believe will draw more tourists. Hanson thinks if people experience the Spokane River from the water, they will recognize its value and will be more inclined to protect it.