Little Spokane River bends through a deep, forested valley north of Spokane, carrying cold water, and the tracks of animals that have moved through this place for millennia. Image Credit: Cara Carlton
His father’s uncles, ‘Will and Harry Storms,’ bought adjoining pieces of land in 1927, according to the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy. The nearly 900-acre landscape sits along the Little Spokane River north of Spokane and contains several distinct environments. The story of the property began long before Gary Verbrugge became responsible for it. When they died, the properties passed to the Verbrugge family.
A gift that placed the future of the land beyond one lifetime
Gary Verbrugge, a 72-year-old man in Washington state, inherited nearly 900 acres of woodland linked to his family for almost a century. His work eventually led to a decision that would shape the land’s future long after him: the transfer of this 885 acres to the ‘Kalispel Tribe of Indians. As reported by the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, the donation brings together private conservation and Indigenous stewardship, giving the Tribe long-term responsibility for a landscape with deep cultural and ecological importance for generations to come. The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy reported that the Kalispel Tribe was developing its first Tribally owned and managed community forest, with a focus on natural resource education.
Verbrugge said he believed the Tribe would take good care of the land and its wildlife. ’ the donation is an example of how private landowners can make lasting contributions to conservation while supporting Indigenous stewardship, according to ‘ImpactfulNinja. The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy said the Kalispel Tribe has committed to caring for the land in ways that benefit nature, culture and the community.
Rather than treating the property as an asset to be sold or developed, he spent decades helping restore its forests, waterways and wildlife habitats. The property, which lies along the Little Spokane River, is home to a remarkable mix of forests, wetlands and open areas used by animals including moose, elk, wolves, bears and cougars. Its goals closely matched Verbrugge’s own hopes for his woodland. Conversations followed about the possibility of the Tribe becoming the long-term owner and steward of the property. He was particularly impressed by the detailed forest planning carried out by specialists working with the Tribe. For Verbrugge, however, the decision was rooted in a far more personal relationship with the place. He had inherited land shaped by generations before him, watched it change and spent years helping restore it. Instead of leaving its future to chance, he chose a steward whose connection to the wider landscape stretches far beyond a single lifetime.