STORY BY MEG PULLIAM

PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Wood River Land Trust and Friends of the Howard Preserve are looking for community support to help secure a 0.55-acre parcel at the south end of the Howard Preserve, which will create a permanent southern entrance to the popular community preserve.

Walking distance from downtown Bellevue, Howard Preserve is a 35-acre riverfront public access preserve created and stewarded in partnership with the Wood River Land Trust, City of Bellevue, and the Friends of the Howard Preserve.

It offers trails, fishing, and swimming holes on the Big Wood River, making it one of Bellevue’s most beloved community assets.

The Howard Preserve serves as a cornerstone of the Bellevue community, cherished by residents and local leaders alike.

“Howard Preserve is a place woven into people’s daily lives. A community place, close to town, where we walk, recreate and connect with one another,” said Bellevue resident Doro Schinella.

Christina Giordani, the Mayor of Bellevue, frequents the area, sharing that she loves bringing her one-year-old son to the river’s edge to dip his feet in the water.

Idaho Base Camp, a local non-profit, utilizes the preserve as a living classroom. Through their programs, school-aged children develop a profound, positive relationship with the natural world.

The Environmental Resource Center volunteers regularly support the stewardship of the preserve, conducting “clean sweeps” and weed pulling.

This legacy of stewardship began with the Howard family, who have celebrated generations of milestones here—from weddings and learning how to fish to passing down the vital lessons of conservation to their grandchildren.

The Wood River Land Trust currently holds an exclusive option to purchase this key property. Without community support, the parcel could soon enter the open market and be developed as a private riverfront residence.

Securing this property will:

• Secure a year-round southern entrance, set back from high-water lines, that is clearly signed and accessible.

• Strengthen Bellevue’s walkable connection to our beloved river and trail systems.

• Permanently protect 400 feet of Big Wood River frontage, keeping it wild and preventing future development.

To secure this essential piece of riverfront, the Wood River Land Trust aims to raise $335,000 by Sept. 30, 2026, for the acquisition and stewardship of the property. The community-wide fundraising effort for this project launches alongside Idaho Gives--a state-wide week-long giving campaign that unites communities to support local nonprofits.

Idaho Gives is being conducted this year from May 4-7, with early giving now open. Every dollar donated toward the Howard Preserve Expansion will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Makowski Trust, up to $25,000.

Idaho Gives donations can be made at https://www.idahogives.org/organizations/woodriverlandtrust.

Since its founding, the Land Trust has helped conserve more than 30,000 acres, created 21 public access preserves and restored 15 miles of the Big Wood River and its tributaries.