Public input sought for Orchard

The Thompson Falls community enjoys a wealth of natural landscapes. From waterfronts to city parks to public forests like the Mule Pasture, these spaces are unique opportunities that locals treasure. And now, the United States Forest Service (USFS) wants to offer another natural outdoor space to the community. Known as “The Orchard” by locals, the 150-acre parcel is a former USFS plantation. No longer being managed for that purpose, the agency is exploring ways in which this land could benefit the community. The Orchard is located close to downtown Thompson Falls and immediately adjacent to the Mule Pasture forest and recreation area. To some, it holds promise as a vital space for the community to recreate and engage with nature in this relatively wild place. To others, its conservation value is paramount. The Forest Service wants to hear from those invested in the Thompson Falls community about how they wish to engage with the property.

“The Orchard is a tract of land the Forest Service is no longer actively using for administrative use,” explained Heather Berman, Recreation Staff for USFS. “Since it is an isolated piece of public land, just like the Mule Pasture, in the heart of Thompson Falls, we wanted to engage the community on how best to manage the land moving forward from an administrative site to public forest land,” she continued. “Whether that means a focus on forest health, wildlife management, recreation, education, or a combination of these or other ideas, is input we are asking the community to provide. This engagement is solely for that purpose and is not to consider sale of the property, housing developments, or anything similar. At no time during this process has housing been considered for the Orchard.”

The Forest Service is collaborating with Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT), Sanders County Community Development (SCCD), and Heart of the Rockies Initiative in an effort to invite the public to participate in the community conversation about caring for and connecting with this land.

Over the past year, KLT and SCCD has invited the public to voice their desires and concerns about the Orchard property through surveys, including one targeted to middle and high school students and one targeted to the general public. The surveys provided some insight into a cross-section of the community, but more is needed.

This became clear at a recent meeting initiated by Kaniksu Land Trust who invited property owners located near the Orchard to share their thoughts about the property’s future. Residents from the greater Thompson Falls area turned out to express their concerns, exposing several

misunderstandings about the Forest Service’s intent for the land and KLT’s involvement.

“We could see that the community cares deeply about the Orchard. And they needed space to

express themselves,” said Katie Cox, Executive Director of Kaniksu Land Trust.

Kayla Mosher, KLT’s Recreation and Outreach Coordinator, who works out of their Montana office in Thompson Falls, continued, “We want to hear from as many people as possible, and we know there are people who have not had a chance to voice their opinion. The surveys and the neighborhood meeting did not reach everyone. It’s important to us to talk with the maximum number of people possible.”

To that end, the group has scheduled a series of meetings in Thompson Falls to engage the public:

November 29: 6-8 p.m., Thompson Falls Elementary Cafeteria (open house format)

December 1: 8:30-11:30 a.m., Minnie’s Cafe

December 1: Christmas Stroll, 4-6 p.m., Sanders County Ledger

The feedback received thus far indicates that most residents would like to see the land managed for forest health, wildlife habitat, recreational trails, and educational experiences.

The Forest Service and Kaniksu Land Trust acknowledge that everyone may not agree about how to care for and engage with the land. But, they hope that everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to participate in the conversation that will ultimately steer the USFS toward a decision about the future of the Orchard property.

For more information, visit http://www.kaniksu.org/orchard or contact Kayla Mosher at (406) 827-0487, [email protected], or 2504 Tradewinds Way, Suite 4B, in Thompson Falls.