Yurok tribe reclaims ancestral territory in California's largest ever land-back project

By&nbspAbby Chitty&nbspwith&nbspAP

Published on 05/06/2025 - 16:13 GMT+2

The Yurok Tribe has regained astir 189 quadrate kilometres of ancestral forestland on nan Klamath River successful bluish California, much than doubling their onshore holdings and marking nan largest land-back conservation woody successful authorities history.

The people plans to reconstruct nan scenery done accepted stewardship methods specified arsenic controlled burns, prairie restoration, invasive type removal and character planting, efforts that will besides create jobs for nan tribe’s 5,000 members.

"We're thrilled to denote that we've transferred nan last shape of onshore to nan Yurok people and completed creation of nan Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and nan Yurok tribal organization forest," said Josh Kling, conservation head astatine Western Rivers Conservancy.

He added, "This is nan azygous largest land-back task of lands going backmost to a people successful nan full authorities of California. 47,000 acres is now nether nan ownership and stewardship of nan Yurok tribe."

The return of these lands is portion of nan broader Land Back movement, which seeks to reconstruct Indigenous ownership and stewardship of accepted territories.

Over nan past decade, astir 12,000 quadrate kilometres of onshore has been returned to tribes crossed 15 states done national programmes aided by conservation organisations.

For nan Yurok, 90% of whose territory was seized during nan Gold Rush era, reclaiming this onshore holds heavy significance.

"Re-acquiring landscapes for illustration this allows america to heal, to activity towards treatment a coiled that was inflicted not only connected nan lands but our hearts erstwhile these lands were taken distant from us," said Tiana Williams-Clausen, head of nan Yurok Tribe's wildlife department.

She emphasised Blue Creek's importance, calling it "one of nan champion and clearest and healthiest of tributaries that spell into nan Klamath River, which is nan bosom of Yurok Country," but noted it has faced destructive guidance for years.

Studies progressively show that forests stewarded by Indigenous peoples are healthier, much biodiverse and much resilient, highlighting nan captious domiciled of accepted ecological knowledge successful combating ambiance change. 

Beth Rose Middleton Manning, a Native American Studies professor astatine UC Davis, said "Indigenous people's position - surviving successful narration pinch nan lands, waterways and wildlife - is becoming wide recognised and is simply a stark opposition to Western views."

Despite this landmark land-back project, however, Yurok Tribe members cognize it's going to return decades of activity for these lands and waterways to heal.