ICL Blog

A walk among the trees or across a field—could a simple stroll make much difference to you? 

According to recent studies, yes! Walking in nature can strengthen your immune system, improve your memory, and may even be better than medication for symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder).

Recent research shows that spending a few hours in nature—forests, parks, places with trees or plants—increases immune function. Yes, it reduces stress. But researchers also point to phytoncides, the chemicals that plants release into the air to protect them from rotting and insects. These chemicals are apparently also helpful to people.

One study shows that time spent among plants reduces concentrations of cortisol, lowers pulse rate, and lowers blood pressure. A number of other studies show it raises levels of white blood cells—including one that showed that men walking for two hours in a forest over two days had a 50% spike in their killer cell levels. Another study reported that women who’d spent time in the forest experienced an increase in white blood cells that lasted a week.

And—you’ll have a better chance of remembering all of this information if you go for a nature walk today. Really? A recent study showed that participants performed 20% better on a test of short-term memory after they’d strolled a while among trees.

A previous study pinpointed that cognitive performance can be restored by looking at pictures of trees, hills and fields. Looking at pictures of streets, industrial units, and complex geometric patterns won’t help.

Time spent in nature is good for our kids, too. For children with ADHD, doing homework or taking a test can require a level of concentration that is difficult for them to maintain. A study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that children with ADHD showed better attention after a 20-minute walk in a park than after a walk in urban or residential settings.

“We don’t know what it is about the park, exactly,” says researcher Frances E. Kuo, but “the physical environment matters.”

Researchers were surprised to see that the effect of a dose of nature was comparable to a dose of medication and sometimes even more effective.

While regular doses of nature seem to create a persistent effect, there’s no precise formula available yet for calculating what a child might need over time.

The potential implications of all these findings—for everything from daily lifestyle decisions to raising children to urban design—are definitely interesting.  

Each day presents new opportunities for giving your mind and body restorative power—from taking a stroll in the park to taking a moment to gaze at the trees outside your office window. Nature’s out there, waiting for you!

We're often asked why we organize hikes to take people into pristine areas such as the high mountain lakes of the Selkirk Mountains.

Sure, there's an impact every time people travel in the great outdoors. But having group hikes is also a way to deepen appreciation for the backcountry and teach people how to tread lightly on the landscape.

This summer, we teamed up with Selkirk Outdoor Leadership and Education to lead a couple of Leave No Trace hikes in the Selkirks, both to already popular lakes: Roman Nose and Harrison.

SOLE's hike leaders shared valuable lessons about recognizing and reducing one's impact and following the seven Leave No Trace principles. Check out this short video that our summer intern, Tess Howell, made from the Roman Nose hike.

You can also learn what a special place the Selkirk Mountains are without even going there. Simply join us at 5:30 pm, Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Pend d'Oreille Winery for a special slide show and celebration of our backyard paradise, the American Selkirks.

The New York Times recently ran a guest opinion about how increasingly strict enforcement of The Wilderness Act was making these areas unsafe for the public. The author says that the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are being unreasonably draconian by forbidding baby strollers, hunting carts and trail cycles: "The result may be more pristine lands, but the agency's zealous enforcement has also heightened safety risks and limited access to America's wilderness areas." 

...the one sign that wilderness never needs is, “Warning: Wilderness Isn’t Safe.” Better to post signs in our cities that read, “Warning: Living Without Wilderness Isn’t Safe."

Sen. Mike Crapo's Owyhee Initiative keeps on delivering. The public will soon gain access to some of the best desert canyonlands in Idaho. The Wilderness Land Trust and Nature Conservancy recently acquired two strategic private land inholdings and will transfer these to the Bureau of Land Management.   

Mike Hanley, Owyhee rancher and local historian, transferred a 611-acre parcel of his riverfront property just upstream of the North Fork Owyhee campground along the Owyhee Backcountry Byway (better known to locals as Mud Flat Road). 

As stated in today's press release, “'The Owyhee Initiative has ushered in a new era which will serve as a template to settle other wilderness issues throughout the West,' says landowner Mike Hanley."

The other property consists of 360 acres within the Little Jacks Creek Wilderness and serves as the entrance to the spectacular Shoofly Creek. 

These properties have outstanding recreational opportunities and are remarkably accessible for canyons in the Owyhee. Since they are adjacent to designated wilderness areas, they will become wilderness along with the 517,000 acres designated in 2009. So get ready to grab a backpack and check out these two new places!

I studied history in school, so I knew the facts about the long process for women to get the vote. But the best lessons come in context. On the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote, I'm reminded of the excellent film Iron Jawed Angels and the evening we watched it.

This is a great and drama-filled HBO movie, and you should rent it. If you have a daughter, you must rent it.

It tells the remarkable story of how the final push for passage came to be. Like I said, rent it.

I first saw the film with good friends Jim and Rose in California and my wife, Roberta. Rose has worked on elections as long as I have known her, with leadership roles in U.S. House, Senate, mayor, and even presidential races.

She has been the campaign manager for each of Sen. Barbara Boxer's Senate races. Here in Idaho when we see candidates get Senate seats, well, let's just say it's often not a lot of work. California is huge, and running these campaigns is a big deal, hotly contested, and like this year closely watched.

This year that race is between two women candidates.

After seeing Iron Jawed Angels, I was in Washington, DC, and right next door to one of the US Senate offices is the home of the organization at the center of Iron Jawed Angels. I saw real examples of what was portrayed in the film, pictures and museum pieces from the actual campaign.

Working as I do in the depths of Idaho politics, it's easy to forget that real progress can and has been made if you work hard for it. A toast to the 90th anniversary of one of our nation's biggest steps forward: Let us not forget how long and hard it was to get.

Its sweet, slightly tangy flavor makes the huckleberry a favorite in Idaho. A relative of the blueberry, the huckleberry thrives in acidic mountain soil, growing above 2,000 feet throughout the Northwest and up into Alaska. They're found in easily accessible places and more challenging spots but almost always in the wild. 

When I was a child, my family annually packed the car and drove north to Roman Nose in Boundary County to pick huckleberries. Of course, we ate them in their fresh, sweet–tartness right off the bush. But we also filled buckets and buckets of berries that my mom used to make pies, jam, ice cream, pancakes and syrup. They're also easy to freeze and enjoy throughout the year. 

Berries grew closer to home, but this excursion was a family tradition—not unlike annual fall food gatherings of the Native Northwest tribes who harvested and dried huckleberries. Lewis and Clark's journals often refer to the cultural significance of huckleberries and how the tribes used them. 

Not only were Lewis and Clark versed in this special Idaho gem, so was witty gentleman gambler and gunfighter Doc Holliday. In the movie Tombstone, the Holliday character said, “I’ll be your huckleberry” to mean “I’m your man (gunman).”

Huckleberries are embedded in Idaho history, bearing a small but significant and sometimes humorous role. Despite our best attempts, we cannot domesticate them—they won't grow at lower elevations. It seems that huckleberries get the last laugh at our attempts to turn them into lowlanders.

Perhaps it is their destiny to remain wild and live only in loftier, more beautiful spots throughout the state. So you have to get into the woods to truly enjoy them!

Boise State University has a reputation as a commuter campus—most folks live off-campus and drive in every day for school and work. As of this week, students, staff and faculty can sign up for another transportation option.

BSU is the first in the state to offer a car-sharing program—the Zipcar. Zipcars will allow these people to reserve a car, either a Prius or a Scion. A little genius is at work here: While offering students under 25 the ability to rent a car, BSU is also freeing up travel options for on-campus folks. You can bike commute, carpool, and generally drive less with the car-sharing option. Just takes a little planning ahead.

Zipcar has an appropriate slogan for its target audience—"Car rental is so last century." Check out the website and see if this is an option for your business!

Kudos to BSU for being innovative and creative in meeting the transportation needs of its students, staff, and faculty while also reducing its carbon footprint.

Is this what the CuMo Mine could look like?

Learn more about what open-pit mining in the Boise River headwaters could look like by going to  Thompson Creek Mine open house this Monday, August 23, 6 to 8 pm.

Thompson Creek is an operating molybdenum ("moly") mine near Clayton, Idaho. The BLM is reviewing a request to allow the mine to expand for another 20 years.  

The meeting is at the Boise District office, 3948 Development Avenue, near the airport (not at the BLM State Office on Vinnell). 

This open house is also your opportunity to ask the BLM and mining company about their long-term plan to clean up water contaminated by acid mine drainage.

Acid mine drainage, which can kill aquatic insects and fish, was not predicted  when the mine was permitted. The contaminated water is now being captured, but it will need to be treated in perpetuity after the mine closes.

Incidentally, the CuMo Mine could be five times larger than the Thompson Creek Mine.

To get a visual image of where the CuMo Mine is in the Boise River watershed, go on a fantastic Google Earth tour of the CuMo Project, courtesy of Gary Grimm with Mountain Visions.

It takes a few seconds to load but is a great overview of both the CuMo Project and Thompson Creek Mine, an existing open-pit molybdenum mine.  

As you fly over the Thompson Creek Mine, remember that Mosquito Gold is estimating that CuMo could be five times bigger. And Thompson Creek has serious water quality issues. And CuMo would be in the headwaters of the Boise River.  

If you haven’t already done so,,  submit your comments on this project by Sept 1.

Bottom line: It’s not too early to oppose the project. It’s better (and easier) to stop pollution before it starts rather than after there’s a mess.  

In the midst of a humdrum summer economy, Kelly's Whitewater Park in Cascade, Idaho, has been a notable bright spot. The free river park has brought new attention—and tourist dollars—to the small town. After hearing rave reviews from kayaking friends, I stopped by on my way back from McCall. 

The first-class visitors center has displays highlighting the history of Cascade—from logging and mining to recreation. For folks not interested in squeezing into kayaks, there are also inner tube rentals available (though the rapids looked much harder for inner tubers). Park staff were ready to answer any questions. 

Since I just happened to have my kayak with me, I gave the river a try. The North Fork Payette was running around 1,300 cfs (cubic feet per second). The top wave was awesome—reminiscent of the 36th Street wave in Boise at 7,000 cfs—but a bit advanced for beginners. The middle wave offered great beginner side and front surfing, as well as loops at higher flows. The bottom diagonal wave was not working that well at this flow and might need some tweaking.

Cascade's economy has been based on natural resources. After a strong tradition in the mining and logging industries, It will be interesting to see what role recreating in free-flowing rivers (admittedly, a manmade course) plays.  

It will also be interesting to see whether the remarkable success of this whitewater park affects fundraising efforts for Boise's Ray Neef MD River Park, which still needs several millions of dollars for construction. 

So hit the waves in Cascade, Idaho, while there's still some summer left. Surf's up! 

The controversy around giant trucks along the Lochsa and the state of Idaho's dancing as the heat gets hotter is quite the news story.

Our blog has a story as does today's Idaho Statesman blog. But my new favorite primer on the issue is this video sent to me by friends.

Watch this now.

Earlier this week, 2nd District Judge, John Bradbury, issued a temporary restraining order on Conoco Phillips’ trucking of oversized loads of massive oil refinery equipment along scenic U.S. Highway 12 between Lewiston, Idaho, and Lolo, Montana—using a super huge truck (SHT) as previously discussed.  

The trucking, originally scheduled to begin as early as this week, was to be the first of an estimated 200 or more truckloads. The loads, 24 feet wide and 210 feet long, are wide enough to take up both lanes and exceed state height, length and width limits. 

Legal arguments against oversized trucking through the corridor include underestimating implications on public safety, including emergency services, and consideration of alternative routes. The trucking also poses an unnecessary threat to a pristine river corridor. It is an All-American Scenic Byway and a designated Wild and Scenic River Corridor—neither of which translates to an industrial transit route.  (For more about local opposition, see Rural People of Highway 12 Fighting Goliath.)

Bradbury scheduled a hearing Friday to hear arguments from both sides, which should determine whether a longer-term injunction of the trucking will be issued. Stay tuned...

For the less artistic folks among us, en plein air is a form of painting that in French means "in open air."  There are few places that are better for outdoor painting than our backcountry forests and mountains.

This year, artists rendered their artistic accounts of the landscape en plein air during the second annual excursion by the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness into this stunning area on the Idaho-Montana border.

This year's painters were accompanied by a group of student filmmakers producing a documentary about the Scotchman Peaks and people who call themselves "friends" of this stunning proposed wilderness area.

While the documentary is not available for a while, the students' production group, Wildman Pictures, has just released an official trailer for the documentary that's well worth watching.

Although I can't wait to see the full documentary, the trailer pretty clearly makes the visually artistic case for protecting this area.

The unforgettable 1910 fires burned more than 3 million acres and killed more than 85 people. It was the biggest wildfire in recent memory, changing the way forests were managed for decades.

The most recent good read on the subject is Timothy Egan's Big Burn. For a quicker treatment that catches most of the highlights, check out The Spokesman-Review's package of stories and a video commemorating the fire's anniversary.

We're living with the legacy of the 1910 blow-up today, as land managers wrestle with the results of 100 years of wildfire suppression, and conservationists urge them to restore fire to the landscape when and where they can.

Letting wildfires burn is good in many cases, part of the natural life cycle of a forest. But with more people living in the woods or on the edge, letting fire run its natural course isn't always possible.

Further complicating matters are the effects of climate change on our forests: Trees stressed by heat and drought have a difficult time surviving insects and disease, leading to dead and dying timber stands that are more susceptible to fire.

Despite all this, the solution isn't to cut down all the trees—as Idaho's notorious Sen. Weldon Heyburn suggested following the 1910 fires. 

Thinning near homes and communities, restoring fire to the landscape through controlled burns and fire use, and doing everything we can to reverse global warming (which includes letting trees grow to sequester carbon) are things we can do to help keep our forests healthy and communities safe.

But don't forget, the 1910 fire occurred before we had a system of lookouts and fire crews determined to put out every wildfire and before we had global warming. The 1910 fire was a mostly natural—if devastating—event.

I was in New Hampshire last week sitting beside a fabulous lake. I could see a loon.

Something buzzed in my pocket, I looked at my iPhone, and in seconds, I was talking to Washington, DC, about the Boulder-White Clouds way back in Idaho. All the while I watched the loon.

In one way, it's great to be so connected.  We can stay in touch and keep the many balls we're juggling from dropping.

But while I was looking at that loon, my head was with my colleague in DC. As we talked about Idaho's U.S. senators, the great value I was finding beside the lake moments ago was drying up, at least partially. After I hung up, I looked around and turned off the phone.

Today's New York Times features a story about this very issue. The article describes a river trip with a handful of brain scientists who discuss the impact of us all being so connected—and distracted—all the time. It's a good read. 

And it's a good reminder. I was recently on a backpack trip with most of my ICL colleagues in the White Clouds. We were really outside, meaning out of cell coverage. And we all benefited from it.

Summer is winding down fast. We need more time out of cell coverage.  Please excuse me if I don't get back to you right away...

In the latest plot twist in wolf management, a federal judge relisted wolves under the Endangered Species Act, precluding a wolf hunt this fall. 

Both Idaho and Montana have wolf management plans that won approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and allowed wolves to be delisted and hunted in both states.

The problem is that Wyoming's plan allowed wolves to be shot on sight in 90% of the state. So the USFWS did not delist wolves there and no hunt could take place. 

Under the Endangered Species Act, however, it is illegal to delist a species in one state if it remains listed next door.

While this may mean no formal wolf hunt in Idaho this fall, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is looking at other options. Wolves can still be killed by Wildlife Services, a little-known federal agency tasked with removing unwanted coyotes and wolves, among other animals. In addition, IDFG is considering a "research hunt." Ranchers can still kill wolves threatening their livestock.

At the same time, Wyoming is moving forward with a lawsuit suing the USFWS for not accepting its wolf management plan. 

Meanwhile, wolves keep being wolves. 

One of the biggest critics of the Environmental Protection Agency's latest plan for cleaning historic mining waste from the upper Coeur d'Alene Basin is one of the mining companies partially responsible for the cleanup costs—Hecla Mining, owner of the Lucky Friday Mine.

A public hearing last week and a town hall meeting this week featured Hecla employees lambasting the plan. This plan would keep toxic sediment from flowing downstream from the Bunker Hill Superfund site, treat contaminated groundwater and protect those areas already cleaned up in the upper basin.

The continued cleanup is intended to better protect human health, fish and wildlife; reduce the amount of toxic metals washing downstream; and protect existing remedies from erosion and recontamination.

Hecla has raised concerns about hindered future exploration of the valley and the Superfund stigma associated with a long-term cleanup. It's also likely that Hecla is concerned about having to help foot the $1.34 billion bill, because the company is on the hook for 31% of the Superfund cleanup. But the company has yet to settle up with the EPA.

Silver Valley residents also have legitimate concerns about the proposed length of the cleanup—several decades long—but doing a thorough job in the upper basin is critical for protecting human health, fish and wildlife throughout the Coeur d'Alene Basin.

In response to concerns raised in the recent meetings, the EPA has extended the comment period on the plan. To read the plan and make comments, visit the EPA's website for the proposed upper basin cleanup.

Last night, on behalf of ICL supporters, I provided testimony on a proposed uranium enrichment plant in Idaho. AREVA, a large, French energy company proposes to build a uranium enrichment plant in Idaho Falls. The facility would receive uranium and chemically "enhance" the uranium to create nuclear reactor fuel.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the permitting body for such a project, has released its 1st draft of the environmental impact analysis (EIS). After carefully reviewing the draft, ICL has substantial concerns regarding disposal of waste, protection of groundwater quality of the Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, transportation of hazardous and radioactive materials to and from the site, impacts to candidate species like sage-grouse, and risks that the project poses to public health.

Most troubling is the NRC's concurrent process to set up adequate rules governing the safe disposal of depleted uranium. Let me break that down a bit: At the same time that it's reviewing and possibly licensing a uranium enrichment plant that will produce significant quantities of depleted uranium in Idaho, the NRC will start creating rules for disposing of this waste. ICL contends that regulations ensuring the safe disposal of depleted uranium must be in place and implemented before any facility in Idaho is licensed.

As one concerned citizen mentioned, Idaho has already accepted radioactive waste from outside the state, and the AREVA facility would likely add more. Idahoans must be assured that such waste cannot pollute the sole-source aquifer providing drinking water for 300,000 Idahoans. 

Rocky Barker's article in the Idaho Statesman this morning provides more information about the hearing, the proposed facility, and federal and state financial assistance.

The NRC is accepting comments on the draft EIS through September 13, 2010. 

The scent of sharpened pencils is in the air, and school supplies are commandeering shelf space in our stores. It's time to make a "new school year resolution" to send your child to school with a home-packed lunch. Why?

Keep Your Kids Healthy

That's right, you can make a healthier lunch than the school can. School cafeterias are hotbeds of processed food, junk food, and even fast food. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rare, so your kids don't get the nutrition they need to be attentive students. And childhood obesity is on the rise. In Idaho, 27.5% of children are obese. That's nearly a third of our kids!

Reduce Waste

Single-use products—baggies, foil, and wax paper—are convenient, but they add to already overflowing landfills. An average kid toting a sack lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. For a waste-free lunch, buy large quantities of lunch items and pack them in reusable containers.

Save Money

You may not put your kids through college on what you save by packing them waste-free lunches—but you can make a dent! According to one estimate, a "disposable lunch" costs $4.02 a day per child (or $723.60 for a school year), while a waste-free lunch runs $2.65 ($477 for a school year). You could save a whopping $246.60 a year per child!

Get Help

• Laptop Lunches—Get sustainable lunchboxes as well as lunch ideas and recipes.
• About.com—Get advice about packing a school lunch and some creative recipes.
• Good Housekeeping—Have your kids help select fun and delicious recipes for their lunches.
  
• Existing school lunch programs—Find out not only why many schools fail a healthy lunch test but also what others are doing to improve their school lunches. 

There's a pretty good chance you may be one of the millions of people who don't get what Facebook, Twitter and other social networking services are about. What's with the little icons popping up on the sidebars of web pages . . . and why would you care?

The New York Times recently published a helpful overview of what the new services are about and why they're so popular. The article explains how they work, why you'd bother with them, and why you might not.

The Idaho Conservation League is using these services every day to connect with members and the public. You can click the icons in the sidebar on the right to find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

So if you're not sure what this is all about, read the article. This is your chance to catch up. You may still choose not to participate, but at least you'll know what you're missing!