Repeated windstorms have taken a heavy toll on the tree canopy at North Idaho College’s Coeur d’Alene campus, but a newly secured state grant will help reverse that damage. The college is set to plant 74 trees beginning this fall, funded by an $82,661 award from the Idaho Department of Lands Urban and Community Forestry Program.
A Campus Forest Battered by Repeated Storms
The NIC campus has weathered a string of destructive wind events stretching back several years. A storm on January 13, 2021 wiped out 107 trees on the grounds — a significant loss on its own. Then, on December 17, 2025, another powerful windstorm toppled 65 large Ponderosa pines and six additional trees. A follow-up storm on March 12, 2026 contributed further to the toll, bringing the total from the two most recent events to 71 trees lost.
Across all three storms, the campus has shed well over 170 trees, leaving gaps throughout what had been a mature, established green space.
Campus Arborist J.D. Reeves, who will oversee the restoration work, described the damage as a serious setback for the campus environment. “We lost a significant part of our campus forest in these storms,” Reeves told the Bonner County Daily Bee. “This grant gives us an opportunity to rebuild that canopy in a thoughtful way.”
Planting Plan Prioritizes Seven Species for Long-Term Health
Rather than replanting a single dominant species, the restoration plan calls for a deliberate mix of trees suited to North Idaho’s climate and soil conditions. The seven species selected for the project are Western White pine, Ponderosa pine, Grand fir, Douglas fir, White fir, Alaskan cedar, and European hornbeam. Each variety was evaluated for site compatibility alongside the goal of building a more resilient campus landscape.
About 50 of the 74 trees will be placed in Cheamkwet Park, a green space situated behind the Edminster Student Union Building. The grant money will cover all major project costs, including tree procurement, planting materials, professional installation services, and labor. Work is expected to get underway when fall 2026 conditions allow.
Reeves pointed to species variety as a core principle guiding the project’s design. “Species diversity is one of the best tools we have to protect the campus forest,” he told the Bonner County Daily Bee.
That approach reflects a broader understanding among urban foresters that monoculture plantings — stands dominated by one or two species — are far more vulnerable to disease, pests, and weather events than mixed forests. By spreading risk across multiple species, NIC aims to reduce the chances that a future storm or blight could cause comparable damage.
Grant Supports Broader Idaho Urban Forestry Efforts
The Idaho Department of Lands Urban and Community Forestry Program channels resources toward tree canopy preservation and restoration across the state’s cities, towns, and public institutions. NIC’s successful application places the college among a range of Idaho communities that have received support for urban tree projects.
Beyond the visual character of a campus, a healthy tree canopy delivers tangible environmental and practical benefits — moderating temperatures, absorbing rainfall, supporting wildlife habitat, and improving air quality. For a college campus, mature trees also contribute to the overall experience for students, faculty, and staff who spend time outdoors between classes and events.
What Comes Next
With funding in hand and Reeves coordinating the effort, NIC’s planting phase is positioned to begin as autumn approaches. The 74 new trees represent a meaningful step in recovering from years of storm losses, though full canopy restoration will depend on the new plantings maturing over time. The college’s emphasis on species diversity and careful site selection suggests the replanted forest is being built with decades — not just seasons — in mind.
North Idaho residents can follow developments at NIC and track other institutional and community news across the region through Idaho News Network.