North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene has secured an $82,661 grant from the Idaho Department of Lands Urban and Community Forestry Program to restore the campus tree canopy after a string of destructive windstorms stripped the grounds of dozens of mature trees. The funding will cover the purchase of 74 trees and planting materials, along with professional planting services and labor, with the project expected to begin in fall 2026.
Back-to-Back Storms Hit NIC Hard
The Coeur d’Alene campus has been battered by severe wind events over the past several years. A storm on December 17, 2025, took down 65 large Ponderosa pines and six additional trees. Just a few months later, a second windstorm on March 12, 2026, claimed another 65 Ponderosa pines and six more trees — bringing the combined recent loss to 71 trees across the two events.
The damage builds on an earlier blow: a January 13, 2021, storm that destroyed 107 trees on campus. Taken together, NIC has lost well over 170 trees in less than six years, fundamentally altering the character of the wooded North Idaho campus that sits along the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
NIC Arborist J.D. Reeves, who will lead the restoration project, described the cumulative toll. “We lost a significant part of our campus forest in these storms,” Reeves told the Coeur d’Alene Press. “This grant gives us an opportunity to rebuild that canopy in a thoughtful way.”
74 New Trees, Multiple Native Species
The replanting plan reflects a deliberate approach to long-term forest health. Rather than simply replacing lost Ponderosa pines one-for-one, the project will introduce a variety of species suited to the North Idaho climate and soil conditions. Planned plantings include Western White pine, Ponderosa pine, Grand fir, Douglas fir, White fir, Alaskan cedar, and European hornbeam.
That diversity is intentional. Reeves pointed out that spreading risk across multiple species is a key strategy for protecting the campus tree population from future losses, whether from storms, disease, or pest pressure. “Species diversity is one of the best tools we have to protect the campus forest,” he told the Coeur d’Alene Press.
About 50 of the 74 new trees are slated for Cheamkwet Park, located behind the Edminster Student Union Building — one of the most trafficked areas of campus. The remainder will be distributed across other impacted areas of the grounds.
Impact on the NIC Campus and Kootenai County Community
Mature trees on a college campus serve more than an aesthetic function. They provide shade, reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and contribute to the overall sense of place that makes a campus feel like a destination rather than a collection of buildings. For NIC, which draws students and community members to its lakeside Coeur d’Alene location, the tree canopy has long been a defining feature.
The Idaho Department of Lands’ Urban and Community Forestry Program exists specifically to support projects like this one — helping communities and public institutions maintain and expand tree cover across the state. NIC’s successful application signals that the college made a compelling case for the ecological and community value of its campus forest.
Kootenai County residents who use the NIC campus for events, recreation, and education will benefit directly from the restored green space. The Cheamkwet Park plantings in particular will enhance one of the more visible and accessible outdoor areas of the campus. For those interested in other community green space efforts in the area, the Coeur d’Alene Community Garden is currently navigating its own funding challenge to remain open.
What Comes Next
With the grant secured, NIC and Reeves will move into the planning and procurement phase ahead of a fall 2026 planting start. Tree sourcing, site preparation, and coordination with professional planting crews will need to be completed before the planting window opens.
Given the pace of recent storm damage on the campus, the college may also look at longer-term strategies to protect new plantings and reduce vulnerability in high-wind areas. Residents and NIC community members can follow the project’s progress through the college’s official communications channels as the fall season approaches.