Returning to the Land: Repatriation and Conservation in Partnership

Since time immemorial, the Kalispel Tribe has cared for its aboriginal lands under one guiding principle: doing right by the land. And for over 30 years, Kalispel wildlife and fisheries biologists and other scientists have shaped their careers around this guiding principle. Ray Entz started his career with Upper Columbia United Tribes as a “temp” wildlife biologist in 1991. He began working with the Kalispel Tribe in 1993 and is now the Director of Wildlife and Terrestrial Resources for the Tribe, Ray recalls being teased for not joining a larger agency. But the freedom to advocate for the land—not just represent an institution—felt right. That ethos continues to guide the Kalispel Tribe’s approach to natural resource stewardship.

The Kalispel Tribe’s aboriginal territory stretched over millions of acres. Today, due to the vicissitudes of colonialism, the reservation itself is just 4,700 acres. But since 1992, the Tribe has purchased an additional 8,000 acres for various purposes—with nearly 6,500 of those for conservation restoration. Much of that land holds conservation covenants or easements, securing it for cultural, ecological, and community benefit. “The land has always been part of who we are as Kalispel people. With this return, we move forward together, caring for the land, strengthening our community, and keeping our stories alive,” said Curt Holmes, Vice Chair of the Kalispel Tribe and Executive Director of Public and Governmental Affairs.

The Kalispel Tribe is land-poor by acreage but land-rich in perspective. Their lands program intentionally acquires parcels for a wide range of uses: housing, economic development, and—most significantly for Inland Northwest Land Conservancy (INLC) and of great significance to the Tribe—conservation. These spaces are vital for traditional hunting, gathering, and spiritual practices. On floodplains restored for camas and on mountainsides once out of reach, Tribal members now reconnect with cultural pathways.


The 752 Acres on the Kalispel Mind

One property—752 acres near the reservation along the only fish-bearing creek on the east side of the Pend Oreille River—has been “on my mind since day one,” says Entz. It’s where the creek known as Cee Cee Ah runs, flowing onto the reservation. The land is named for Sisiyé (pronounced see-see-yeh), a highly respected Kalispel known for his mastery in canoe making. Nearby, a cave called “Bear Nostrils” adds to the landscape’s cultural resonance. The Tribe attempted to purchase the property in 2014, but an appraisal dispute stalled the process.

Years later, opportunity knocked again—this time through Teck Resources Limited. As part of its Pend Oreille Mine closure, Teck recognized the urgency of nature loss and committed to a “nature positive” future. Their goal: by 2030, to ensure their conservation, protection, and restoration efforts outweigh the ecological disturbance caused by their mining operations since 2020. To achieve this, Teck focuses on landscape-scale projects on ecologically and culturally significant lands, partnering with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. They aim to conserve or restore at least three hectares for every hectare affected, dedicate 25% of community investment to nature, and work across their value chain to halt and reverse the loss of nature.

Teck sought out an Indigenous partner for this work. When they asked the Kalispel Tribe, “Do you have a project in mind?” the answer was immediate. The Tribe also recommended Inland Northwest Land Conservancy (INLC) as a conservation partner and easement holder.

This convergence of values and timing led to something rare and remarkable: land returned to Indigenous hands, held in conservation for the benefit of all. As Entz put it, “If given the opportunity to do better than you have to, do better.” Teck met that call. And INLC—a longtime partner with the Tribe—was there to ensure long-term conservation outcomes.

“The Tribe has been a long-standing partner with INLC since the mid-1990s,” says Entz. “This is the first time we have been able to solidify this relationship of trust, respect, and shared values through an actual easement and partnership on a piece of land.”

Inland Northwest Land Conservancy’s expertise in administering a perpetual and binding conservation agreement on the property was key to the project’s completion. It fulfilled Teck’s funding requirement for an independent third party to hold this easement, ensuring the “nature positive” outcomes, not just for a short time, but in perpetuity.

The Role of Land Trusts in Community Well-Being

While this project is deeply rooted in place and culture, it also reflects the broader power of land trust work to serve communities. Across the Inland Northwest and beyond, land trusts safeguard clean water sources, preserve wildlife habitat, and create spaces for outdoor recreation and education. They help buffer communities from the effects of climate change, provide access to local food through farmland conservation, and connect people to the landscapes that define their identity and well-being. INLC’s work—like that of land trusts nationwide—is not just about preserving open space. It’s about securing the natural infrastructure that supports vibrant, resilient communities.

“This collaboration with the Kalispel Tribe and Inland Northwest Land Conservancy will help the Kalispel in their work to conserve the Cee Cee Ah lands,” said Jonathan Price, President and CEO, Teck Resources. “This important conservation work near Pend Oreille mine also supports Teck’s goal to contribute to a nature positive future.”

“This project delivers on a handful of our strategic priorities,” Dave Schaub, Executive Director of Inland Northwest Land Conservancy says. “It is built upon trusting relationships, returns land to its original stewards, and permanently protects natural spaces vital to our shared well-being. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Kalispel Tribe and Teck Resources on this project and look forward to more of this work in the future.”

Trust, Not Transaction

INLC’s roots with the Kalispel Tribe go deep. Entz once served on INLC’s board and its committee of ecological professionals that help guide land protection decisions. Over the years, the organizations have exchanged letters of support, shared ideas, and referred landowners to one another. Now, this first concrete partnership—a land easement on this sacred, ecologically rich property—cements that relationship. It’s a demonstration of what trust and shared values can yield.

“Opportunity and community is how we do business,” Entz said. “How are the things we do going to help this membership and all the people of our broader community?” With climate change, wildfire, and habitat loss threatening both cultural and ecological resilience, this land provides refuge, continuity, and hope.

A Vision for the Future

What does the future look like? It’s not a wilderness without people or a landscape carved up by development. It’s a mosaic: community forests, easements, and protected lands—places where people hunt, gather, dig camas, and teach the next generation. Places like Gibraltar Mountain, where for generations, caretakers of the land have climbed to survey its towering peak. And Cee Cee Ah Creek, babbling through those forests, a clean and thriving home to cutthroat and bull trout.

This project represents more than mitigation or acquisition. It’s a return. A repatriation. A partnership. And a promise that doing better is not just possible—but already underway.