300 acres on Mica Peak Foothills will be part of newly conserved property

The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy on Wednesday announced the permanent protection of 300 acres in Kootenai County known as Quail Haven. 

Nestled in the foothills of Mica Peak, the newly conserved property protects critical wildlife habitat. It is a key ecological corridor in an area facing development pressure, according to the INLC.

Owned by longtime resident Cindy Mead, the land holds deep family roots, forest stewardship and ecological diversity. Mead chose to protect the property through a conservation easement with Inland Northwest Land Conservancy to prevent subdivision and safeguard its wild habitat.

“At some point, if we want wildlife around, we have to give them a place to be,” Mead said. “I grew up walking these hills with my dad. I don’t want to see it broken up or lose the healthy forest and wildlife that make it special. Protecting it forever felt like the right thing to do.”

Located on Blossom Mountain in the Mica Peak complex, Quail Haven supports a mix of dry and mesic conifer forests, pockets of aspen and birch, and both upland and riparian habitats. 

The property provides important refuge and movement corridors for deer, elk, moose, black bear, cougar, raptors, small mammals, and numerous resident and migratory songbirds, according to a press release. 

It also hosts several Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the olive-sided flycatcher, hoary bat, Townsend’s big-eared bat, common nighthawk and monarch butterfly.

Over the years, Mead has managed the forest with professional guidance to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Still, the threat of development remained a concern. 

This easement was years in the making, but the federal funding needed to complete the project was unexpectedly cut, leaving a gap that required additional private support. 

When they learned about the opportunity to conserve Quail Haven, Mark, Cory, and Eric Odegard chose to make a gift. As longtime supporters of sustainability and healthy communities, they saw a chance to protect a critical piece of land that might otherwise be lost to development, the release said.

“One modest gift can make a substantial impact,” said Mark Odegard. “INLC is preserving land that will never be developed, and that’s vital for the health of our region. The results are visible — you can see the land, walk its ridges and know it’s protected in perpetuity.”

The permanent protection of Quail Haven strengthens a growing corridor of conserved lands across the Mica Peak foothills, supporting regional wildlife movement, clean water, soil stability and long-term ecological resilience.