Yurok Tribe completes largest land return in California history

The Yurok Tribe finalized the largest land back deal in California history this May, regaining more than 47,000 acres of ancestral lands along the lower Klamath River watershed, according to Underscore Native News and ICT. The area, acquired through a partnership with Western Rivers Conservancy, includes the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and the Yurok Tribal Community Forest, doubling the tribe’s land holdings.

The land transfer, 23 years in the making, covers 73 square miles and will be managed by the tribe for ecosystem health and sustainable forestry. Western Rivers Conservancy purchased the property for $56 million and provided $3.3 million from carbon credits to the tribe to support restoration efforts.