Students take big steps to protect Tubbs Hill

COEUR d’ALENE — A few small steps can hurt Tubbs Hill — or help it.

About 30 Lake City High School students discovered that this week, as part of their AP Outdoor Studies class and in partnership with The Tubbs Hill Foundation.

“We’re so lucky to have a place that gives a hint of the wilderness right in downtown,” said Tubbs Hill Foundation board member Jessica Bryant. “Like any other natural area, we want people to enjoy it.”

Over time, hikers have created paths on Tubbs Hill that diverge from official trails established by the Parks Department. These unofficial trails can be dangerous — and they can also damage the hill.

When plants are dislodged by feet, the root systems that hold the soil in place are compromised and the soil erodes.

“Its limited soil is a precious commodity,” Bryant said. “It’s important to keep it intact to support the trees we all love.”

In an effort to keep hikers on the official trail, students moved trail signs and posts into more visible spots and removed brush along the main trail. They also moved logs onto an unofficial trail leading down from the summit and dug new holes for signs.

The project was part of a larger effort by The Tubbs Hill Foundation, which works to support the Parks Department in addressing issues with some trails on the hill.

As the population grows, Bryant said it’s more important than ever to teach the public how to enjoy Tubbs Hill responsibly. Educating local youths is equally important.

“It gives them a sense of ownership and investment in maintaining Tubbs Hill,” she said. “Some of those kids are going to stay in our community and they’re going to be our next community leaders.”

Bryant said the public can help Tubbs Hill by hiking on established trails and respecting signs for areas that are being restored.

Info: www.tubbshill.org