Local Gem Awards

This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. Read the original article.

The Local Gem Award Program is hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce Natural Resources Committee in partnership with Our Gem Collaborative. Our purpose is to recognize those in the Coeur d’Alene Basin who work to protect water quality through actions such as implementing low impact development, dedication to water quality education and using proper Best Management Practices near local surface waters.

Local Gem Awards can be given to individuals, businesses or organizations for showing leadership in natural resource and water quality protection.

Previous Local Gem Award recipients include Girl Scouts of America Camp Four Echoes on Windy Bay for installing a shoreline planting demonstration project, City of Coeur d’Alene Wastewater Treatment for innovative technologies removing phosphorus from wastewater, Welch Comer Engineering for projects designed to promote water quality, and Lookout Pass Ski Area for allowing hundreds of high school students to visit annually to measure snowpack.

Examples of activities that qualify for recognition as a Local Gem include:

• Implementing innovative stormwater management techniques
• Participating in or sponsoring activities that promote water quality protection
• Participating in research efforts or citizen science related to conservation of natural resources
• Establishing landscaping that minimizes the need for fertilizers, pesticides and overwatering)
• Maintaining vegetative filter areas along waterways
• Providing incentives for employees to attend workshops promoting stewardship of natural resources and water quality protection

Do you know someone who should be recognized as a Local Gem? Nominations can be submitted to Rebecca Stevens at rstevens@cdatribe-nsn.gov and Jamie Brunner at Jamie.brunner@deq.idaho.gov for consideration by the Chamber’s Natural Resource Committee.