“It seems to me Montana is a great splash of grandeur. The scale is huge but not overpowering. The land is rich with grass and color, and the mountains are the kind I would create if mountains were ever put on my agenda.”
- John Steinbeck
Email
kayla@kaniksu.org
Phone
(406) 827-0487
Location
2504 Tradewinds Way 4B
Thompson Falls, MT 59873
Our work in Montana
Kaniksu Land Trust’s service area has encompassed Bonner County, ID and Sanders County, MT since our origin. We have worked on conservation easements, restoration projects, and other community initiatives throughout the region over the last 20 years. With our main office in Sandpoint, ID, we have naturally had more engagement with the N Idaho community. KLT has looked for ways to be better engaged with the NW Montana community, and jumped at the chance to participate in the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities workshop in Thompson Falls, MT. (Learn more about this project below.)
The RERC workshop ended with an amazing opportunity for KLT - the potential for a MT staff person. One of the top goals for recreation in Sanders County was to have a position dedicated to coordinating projects and groups related to outdoor recreation. We volunteered to be the house for that staff, which led us to hiring a Recreation & Outreach Coordinator based in Thompson Falls, MT! Kayla Mosher came on board in 2022 and has been tackling projects ever since. Click the photos below to learn about her projects and click here to learn more about Kayla.
PROJECTS
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Recreation Economies for Rural Communities
The RERC workshop was a team effort with the EPA, USDA, USFS, and the Northern Border Regional Commission, all working together with the Sanders County greater community to create a Community Action Plan.
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Online Interactive Map
Are you interested in finding recreation areas in Sanders County? Use this tool to locate your next camping or hiking spot.
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Thompson Falls Recreation Economy Infrastructure Plan
We teamed up with Sanders County and Heart of the Rockies Initiative and were selected to receive a USDA Rural Business Development Grant. We tackled multiple projects to benefit our community.
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Thompson Falls Wayfinding Sign Plan
An ongoing project with the City of Thompson Falls, Thompson Falls Main Street, Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce, and Water & Environmental Technologies
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The Orchard
This 150-acre parcel, located adjacent to the Mule Pasture recreation site, is public land owned by the US Forest Service. Formerly managed as a plantation, USFS is turning to the community to identify how locals and visitors can care for and benefit from this land. USFS is partnering with KLT, Sanders County Community Development, and Heart of the Rockies Initiative to work with the community to create a vision for this landscape into the future.
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Eastward Extension Trail
This is an exciting project focused on creating a walking path between the east and west sections of Thompson Falls. More information will be added shortly.