By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff
Kaniksu Land Trust officially took possession of the historic Sled Hill earlier this month, preserving the 48-acre parcel for future generations in perpetuity. For their work on the Save the Sled Hill campaign, as well as their commitment to land conservation and stewardship in North Idaho and northwestern Montana, the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce also honored KLT as its October Organization of the Month.
“[The Sled Hill] and its long history in our community exemplifies our mission of caring for the lands and people of the Kaniksu Region, today, tomorrow and forever,” KLT Executive Director Katie Egland Cox stated. “The connection that people have with this property goes back generations and now it will continue forever. Few places still remain where people can find their sense of place on public-access land that is privately owned.”
With the community’s support, KLT was able to raise $2.1 million to buy, maintain and enhance the Sled Hill property, which sold for $1.9 million. The remaining funds will go toward improvements and safety projects, such as digging a new well to provide clean drinking water and fixing electrical issues on the property’s existing buildings and power lines.
Going forward, the organization plans to apply for a special use permit from the city of Dover to replace the property’s current road — which has a dangerous blind corner — install signage and construct a 70-car parking lot.
The Sled Hill conservation efforts are part of the larger Saving Space campaign, which raises funds to purchase and preserve land on behalf of the local community.
“Now that we have saved the Sled Hill, we will continue to work to grow this fund through private donations and so that we are ready when the next special property becomes available,” Cox said. “We may not always have the time that we had with the Sled Hill, so having immediate access to funds as these places become available is super important for conservation work today.”
Other local accomplishments highlighted by the chamber include KLT’s Pine Street Woods project, which dedicated 180 acres near Sandpoint to public trails, recreational spaces and educational programs, as well as the organization’s work to preserve wildlife habitats and healthy watersheds in Priest River and Priest Lake.
The chamber celebrated the award with Cox and her team at its General Membership Luncheon on Oct. 10.
For more information, visit kaniksu.org.
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