Gary Verbrugge, a 72-year-old man in Washington state, inherited nearly 900 acres of woodland linked to his family for almost a century. Rather than treating the property as an asset to be sold or developed, he spent decades helping restore its forests, waterways and wildlife habitats. 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.’ 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. 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.
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