COMMUNITY CONNECTION OPENS THE WAY FOR LAND GIFT

PHOTO: E. Curtis, 1908

When William Haberman, Managing Member of Valiant Idaho, LLC, the owner of The Idaho Club approached Kaniksu Land Trust (KLT) about placing a parcel of the company’s land in a conservation agreement in the fall of 2021, the goal was to protect the property as open space and natural habitat from encroaching development.

The Moose Mountain parcel is roughly 75 acres and located on the west shore of the Pack River Delta. Lying within a wildlife travel corridor and adjacent to an interconnected system of state and federal lands bordering the Pack River, it is significantly valuable from a conservation perspective.

Considering that the land would never be commercially developed by The Idaho Club, William suggested donating the land outright to KLT. He reasoned that KLT would be in a better position to manage the land for conservation.

But the KLT staff had another idea. Through many conversations with Ray Entz, the Kalispel Tribe's Director of Wildlife and Terrestrial Resources, KLT recognized that the tribe had been working to revive their canoe culture but was limited by a lack of suitable access points. Realizing that the parcel was at one time part of the Kalispel Tribe's native homeland and includes undeveloped access to Pack River, KLT proposed that The Idaho Club gift the parcel to the Tribe instead. 

On December 27th, the Kalispel Tribe reclaimed a portion of their traditional homeland fronting the Pack River Delta by means of this gift from The Idaho Club. 

"There is strength in partnership. We probably wouldn't have even been aware of the potential of this project if not for our relationship with KLT” - Ray Entz

KLT's conservation work involves protecting culturally significant lands. As referenced in its guiding strategic documents,  the Kaniksu Region refers to the historical range of the Kalispel People, which extends roughly from Plains, Montana, westward along the Clark Fork River to Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, and continues along the Pend Oreille River to the border with Washington. This region was given the name “Kaniksu” by the Kalispel People who lived on and cared for it. The region encompasses parts of present day Bonner and Boundary Counties in Idaho, and Sanders County in Montana. 

"KLT is honored to have served as a facilitator in support of this very meaningful gift. We recognize the value in returning this wild mountainside to its original caretakers," shared Regan Plumb, KLT’s Conservation Director. 

Land Trusts across the nation are exploring ways of restoring stewardship and access to culturally significant lands by Indigenous tribes. This “Land-back” movement is exemplified by projects such as the Esselen Tribe's reclamation of 1,199 acres in Monterey County, California, a 3,200 acre land purchase by the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon, and the 640 acres in British Columbia that a rancher gifted back to the Esk'etemc First Nation. 

For KLT and The Kalispel Tribe, this gift is less about a conservation movement and more about the value of meaningful connections.  

"There is strength in partnership. We probably wouldn't have even been aware of the potential of this project if not for our relationship with KLT," Entz acknowledged. 

The Kalispel Tribe’s interest in this special property goes beyond cultural and conservation value. This gift will help to support development of canoe access and an interpretive site on the Pack River. The general public will benefit from use of this site as well, which will provide a more safe access than the current pull-off at the Highway 200 bridge over the Pack River.  

“When we look at a potential land acquisition, we look at it for its different values, like habitat and access. We don’t currently have this kind of access. Most access points are shared with a public boat launch, which isn’t ideal for putting in a canoe,” explained Entz. 

For The Idaho Club and William Haberman, the gift yields satisfying returns, knowing that the land will be valued and cared for forever.

“We are pleased to have been presented the opportunity to donate a significant portion of The Idaho Club land holdings to the Kalispel Tribe with the professional guidance and encouragement of Kaniksu Land Trust. What started as a collaboration with Kaniksu Land Trust, resulted in what we believe will be a “best-case” scenario for the property and critical habitat in and around the Pack River Delta. We believe that this parcel is particularly significant from a conservation perspective due to its direct frontage on the Pack River Delta, natural vistas from the Pack River and Lake Pend Oreille and prominent location within the natural habitat of the delta. Given our desire to make an impactful donation that permanently benefits the area, we believe we could not have found a more qualified and motivated permanent steward for this critical habitat than The Kalispel Tribe.”