Stateline access site restored, remodeled and open to the public
The Stateline access site can now be added to the list of premier Spokane River showcases.
The site features amazing drift boat, paddling, park and play, and rafting access with lots of convenient parking for all vehicle types. In addition, stewardship efforts included planting over 550 native species to restore 800 feet of shoreline spanning a 1.9-acre area. Needless to say, the Spokane River Water Trail is welcoming its newest member with open arms.
It took a fittingly eclectic group of people to make this multi-jurisdictional, multi-use site come to fruition. Funding for site restoration came from a Spokane Conservation District mitigation fund that was established with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. In addition, the Forum raised funds to lease the land from Washington State Department of Transportation, create a maintenance agreement with Riverside State Park, help with project development, coordinate volunteers and address needs such as signage.
Said Andy Dunau, the Forum’s Executive Director, “This is a perfect example of desires for stewardship and river access working in concert with each other. Working with the Conservation District it took five years to put the pieces together, and was certainly worth all the effort.”
A special thanks to Darden Foundation (their local Olive Garden restaurants recommended this project as a place to put their stewardship dollars to work) and TransCanada for the funding to move this project forward.
Now it’s a matter of making sure all the hard work takes root both literally and figuratively. Thanks to grants from REI and the Mountaineers Foundation, the Spokane River Forum is coordinating volunteers to water the newly planted species throughout the summer. CSL Plasma and Spokane Fly Fishers have been out there. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact us!!
Said Andy Dunau, “In the end, the best way to protect and restore the Spokane River is to let people get out there and enjoy it. If you want to know how just go to our Spokane River Water Trail web site.”