Fragmented governance, exclusion of Indigenous stewardship, and urban-rural resource extraction hinder coordinated protection of ecosystems, farms, and food systems as climate change intensifies heat, water scarcity, and land-use conflicts.
View the details on what communities have shared with SLECC from across the state.
Indigenous land stewardship overlooked: Tribal leaders emphasized that state-led decisions often ignore Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), which has historically sustained ecosystems. This exclusion undermines ecological resilience and protection of working lands
SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by local leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.
Create Indigenous-led spaces and programs – Support the development of tribal-led farms, cultural spaces, and land-based programs that reconnect Indigenous peoples with their land and strengthen ecological stewardship.
SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by state leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.
The Tule River Indian Tribe is acquiring the 14,000-acre Hershey Ranch in southeastern Tulare County with a $2.4 million state grant, returning ancestral homelands while achieving critical conservation goals. The former cattle ranch contains blue oak woodlands and protects the headwaters of Deer Creek, one of California’s few remaining undammed waterways, which is significant for both watershed protection and flood control given the creek’s role in 2023 flooding events.
The acquisition will reconnect ancient tribal lands by linking to adjacent conservation properties, creating wildlife corridors between the mountains and Valley floor. The project supports the tribe’s plans to reintroduce beaver and Tule elk while providing potential habitat for the recently discovered Yowlumni wolfpack. Beyond conservation, the property will offer outdoor recreational access for tribal members and disadvantaged communities, allowing important cultural and spiritual practices on ancestral lands.
This collaboration between the tribe and state agencies exemplifies how land-back movements can simultaneously advance environmental protection and historical justice. The project, expected to close by mid-2025, contributes to California’s 30×30 conservation initiative while addressing the historical dispossession of Native Americans and demonstrating the effectiveness of tribal stewardship in natural resource management. (Link)
Mesa Grande organic farm – Demonstrates tribal-led sustainable farming, while also exposing infrastructure gaps like water system needs
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Please share any additional resources you would like to include by emailing eecoordinator@civicwell.org.
