Frenzied real-estate market imperils land conservation in Washington, Idaho

Source:Seattle Times — 

There is a 1,000-acre ranch in North Idaho, a mix of timber and cattle lands, that borders a “gem lake” with waters that recharge the Spokane aquifer.

“It’s habitat. It’s water,” said Dave Schaub, executive director of the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy. “According to our analysis, it’s climate-resilient land. It’s some of the more climate-resilient land in our region.”

In other words, it’s the type of property ripe for conservation, but a fevered real estate market means that the ranch, which is not for sale, likely won’t be conserved.