The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation has received a 22.54-acre land donation along the Methow River in north-central Washington, marking an expansion of tribal landholdings in a culturally significant area.
The parcel, located upstream of the town of Carlton, was donated by Lee “Bernie” Bernheisel and transferred to the tribe at no cost through a real estate gift agreement completed in April.
Tribal officials said the land is expected to be used primarily for cultural purposes, reflecting longstanding ties between the Methow people and the Methow Valley.
The donation stems from Bernheisel’s relationship with the late attorney John Arum, who represented the Colville Tribes and the Okanogan Wilderness League, a regional environmental nonprofit. According to the tribe, Arum’s work helped establish connections that led to the transfer.
“The Colville Tribes is very appreciative and grateful to take stewardship of this beautiful piece of our ancestral territories,” said Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson. “The Tribes’ protection of our land and waters extends back for millennia, and we fully intend to protect this place and all of our lands for millennia to come.”
The donation follows a series of land transfers to the tribe in and around the Methow Valley. In 2021, the Colville Tribes regained more than 9,000 acres in Okanogan County through a conservation-led transaction involving nonprofit partners. The following year, the tribe received an additional 328 acres along the Chewuch River through a separate donation by the nonprofit Methow Conservancy, adding habitat and culturally significant land in the same region.
The acquisition also aligns with the tribe’s broader natural resource strategy. The Colville Tribes have led long-running efforts to restore native species and habitat on their lands, including reintroducing bighorn sheep, pronghorn and other wildlife as part of a multi-decade ecosystem management program. The Colville Tribes is a federally recognized tribe representing more than 9,000 enrolled members across 12 aboriginal tribes in the region.
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