Latest news with #JosephL.James
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Historic land deal more than 20 years in the making returns vast swath of land to Native tribe: 'An unprecedented step forward'
A historic land-back deal 20-plus years in the making is complete, more than doubling the Yurok Tribe's holdings after the transfer of 73 square miles along the lower Klamath River. On June 5, the Western Rivers Conservancy announced that it, along with the California Wildlife Conservation board and the California State Coastal Conservancy, had conveyed the 73-square-mile portion of land along the eastern side of the river to the federally recognized tribe. "On behalf of the Yurok people, I want to sincerely thank Western Rivers Conservancy for their longtime partnership and commitment to return a major part of our homeland," Yurok Tribe chairman Joseph L. James said. "The impact of this project is enormous." In addition to having cultural significance to the Yurok Tribe, the Klamath River is crucial to the survival of commercially beneficial fish species like salmon, imperiled by rising global temperatures and human activities along the river, like the construction of dams. Restoration projects, including the largest dam-removal endeavor in U.S. history, have helped reverse some of the damage. The recent acreage transfer that brought the Tribe's holdings to 47,097 acres (valued at $56 million) is the largest in state history and will further support the health of the area, including Blue Creek, a site with spiritual importance to the Yurok. "Returning these lands to the Yurok Tribe is an unprecedented step forward for the Klamath River, and it comes at a critical moment following the removal of the Klamath River dams," said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the California Wildlife Conservation Board. The Western Rivers Conservancy had been working toward the full transfer for 23 years. "This project exemplifies the power of partnership, showcasing how conservation efforts and the land back movement can come together to benefit the rivers, fish, wildlife and people of an entire landscape," added Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy. "Blue Creek and its watershed are critical to the health of the entire Klamath fishery. The Yurok Tribe has the resources and the deep cultural connections that sustained this land for millennia, and now they can continue to do so." Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Miami Herald
15-06-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
After a century of logging, lands along California's Klamath River returned to tribe
LOS ANGELES - Along the Klamath River in Northern California, where logging companies once cut ancient redwood trees, vast tracts of land have been returned to the Yurok Tribe in a years-long effort that tribal leaders say will enable the restoration of forests and the protection of a watershed that is vital for salmon. The effort, which unfolded gradually over the last 23 years, culminated in May as Western Rivers Conservancy turned over 14,968 acres to the Yurok Tribe. It was the last portion of 47,097 acres that the nonprofit group acquired and transferred to the tribe in what is thought to be the largest "land back" deal in California history. Members of the tribe say they are celebrating the return of their ancestral lands along Blue Creek, a major tributary that meets the Klamath about 40 miles south of the Oregon border. Blue Creek holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Yurok, and its cold, clear waters provide a refuge for salmon. "We are salmon people," said Joseph L. James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe. "The river takes care of us, and it's our job to take care of the river." In all, the tribe now owns an additional 73 square miles along the lower Klamath River, including much of the Blue Creek watershed. The conifer forests, which were heavily logged over the last century, will be managed by the tribal government as two protected areas, the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and the Yurok Tribal Community Forest. Yurok leaders say regaining stewardship of these lands contributes to larger efforts to revive the ecological health of the Klamath watershed, where last year the removal of four dams farther upstream restored a free-flowing stretch of the river and enabled salmon to reach spawning areas that had been inaccessible for more than a century. "This land is back home with us now, and we'll continue that work that we have done as Yurok people to protect the land, protect the streams, provide for our people and provide for the environment," James said. In addition to Blue Creek, the land includes other streams that flow into the Klamath. The tribe plans projects to create healthier stream habitats for fish, and to restore meadows and prairies. In the forests, they plan to use controlled burns to thin vegetation that has built up. Some old logging roads are being decommissioned, while other roads are set to be upgraded. "We're going to continue to work to bring back our wildlife population, our fish population," James said. "It's going to take a lot of work, but a lot of people are going to benefit from this." Beyond the local benefits, James said the effort serves as an example for the Land Back movement, in which Native people in many areas are seeking to regain ancestral lands that were taken from them generations ago. "This is what it looks like when we talk about land back," James said. "Land back means giving the land back to its original people with no strings attached. Let them provide their traditional knowledge to heal the land, the environment." He said reaching this successful conclusion involved years of efforts by leaders of the tribe and Western Rivers Conservancy, as well as help from other partners. He said the deal should start more discussions nationwide about how other tribes can advance toward regaining their traditional lands. "It's a big win for Indian Country," he said. "Here is a model that people could use, from our experience, to get land back." The effort has more than doubled the tribe's landholdings. The lands were previously owned by Green Diamond Resource Co. and its predecessor Simpson Logging Co., which harvested timber there for nearly a century. The last time logging occurred on the property was in 2007. Western Rivers Conservancy, a Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit, signed a purchase agreement with Green Diamond in 2008 after five years of negotiations and efforts to identify funding. The lands were gradually acquired by the group between 2009 and 2017, and were transferred to the tribe in multiple phases. The conservation group used an innovative funding strategy, assembling $56 million from foundations, corporations and philanthropists, as well as other sources such as tax credits, public grants and the sale of carbon credits. State funding and support for the effort came from the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the California State Coastal Conservancy, as well as other agencies. "We put together this mosaic of different funding sources," said Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy. "This is the result of commitment, persistence and tenacity." Mathews' organization focuses on protecting rivers for fish, wildlife and the public, and was drawn to the project for its conservation benefits. By establishing the salmon sanctuary in Blue Creek, the deal safeguards a vital cold-water habitat for fish including Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead. "With climate change, cold water is at a premium for these rivers, and it's critical," Mathews said. "So having complete protection of that watershed is important." He said the deal shows how conservation goals and tribes' efforts to regain lands can align in ways that bring tremendous benefits. "It's good for the soul to protect these rivers, and it's a double benefit to see the tribe get their land back," Mathews said. Members of the Yurok Tribe say this effort and others like it are a critically important step in grappling with the lasting effects of colonization. During the 1800s, California's Native population was decimated by diseases, displacement and violence, including state-sponsored killings. The Yurok reservation was established by the federal government in 1855, confining the tribe to an area that covered only a tiny fraction of their ancestral territory. In the late 1800s, white settlers and speculators found ways to secure additional lands along the Klamath River where they could extract valuable redwood, in some cases by bribing U.S. General Land Office officials as they fraudulently acquired thousands of acres of timberlands. Today, the Yurok Tribe is the largest tribe in California, with more than 6,400 enrolled members. "We are trying to recover from colonization," said Amy Bowers Cordalis, a lawyer for the tribe and executive director of the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group. "And we are just now getting into a place where we are starting to see some of the fruits of our efforts, between dam removal and now land back efforts." Regaining these lands enables the tribe "to start rebuilding and to start taking care of our land and our resources," she said. "We are strongly committed to living in a balance with the natural world." She said for members of the tribe, visiting the cold, clear waters of Blue Creek is a spiritual experience. "It's one of the most wild places in all of California, and it is glorious." It's possible to see some of the area by boat, traveling from the Klamath River to the mouth of Blue Creek. But for now, access to the area is limited. James said that could change in the future, once restoration and other work is completed. "At some point in time, we have an opportunity to turn that into a big, beautiful park," James said. "We've got to heal it first, put our resources in it, and it's going to take some time." He said the tribe's members feel delighted to be once again stewarding these lands and waterways, as their ancestors once did. "It's a beautiful feeling knowing that we'll have this land in our hands moving forward for the next seven generations, for our Yurok people and our grandchildren." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
After a century of logging, lands along California's Klamath River returned to tribe
Along the Klamath River in Northern California, where logging companies once cut ancient redwood trees, vast tracts of land have been returned to the Yurok Tribe in a years-long effort that tribal leaders say will enable the restoration of forests and the protection of a watershed that is vital for salmon. The effort, which unfolded gradually over the last 23 years, culminated in May as Western Rivers Conservancy turned over 14,968 acres to the Yurok Tribe. It was the last portion of 47,097 acres that the nonprofit group acquired and transferred to the tribe in what is thought to be the largest 'land back' deal in California history. Members of the tribe say they are celebrating the return of their ancestral lands along Blue Creek, a major tributary that meets the Klamath about 40 miles south of the Oregon border. Blue Creek holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Yurok, and its cold, clear waters provide a refuge for salmon. 'We are salmon people,' said Joseph L. James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe. 'The river takes care of us, and it's our job to take care of the river.' Read more: Klamath River dam removal brings hope for threatened salmon In all, the tribe now owns an additional 73 square miles along the lower Klamath River, including much of the Blue Creek watershed. The conifer forests, which were heavily logged over the last century, will be managed by the tribal government as two protected areas, the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and the Yurok Tribal Community Forest. Yurok leaders say regaining stewardship of these lands contributes to larger efforts to revive the ecological health of the Klamath watershed, where last year the removal of four dams farther upstream restored a free-flowing stretch of the river and enabled salmon to reach spawning areas that had been inaccessible for more than a century. 'This land is back home with us now, and we'll continue that work that we have done as Yurok people to protect the land, protect the streams, provide for our people and provide for the environment,' James said. In addition to Blue Creek, the land includes other streams that flow into the Klamath. The tribe plans projects to create healthier stream habitats for fish, and to restore meadows and prairies. In the forests, they plan to use controlled burns to thin vegetation that has built up. Some old logging roads are being decommissioned, while other roads are set to be upgraded. 'We're going to continue to work to bring back our wildlife population, our fish population,' James said. 'It's going to take a lot of work, but a lot of people are going to benefit from this.' Beyond the local benefits, James said the effort serves as an example for the Land Back movement, in which Native people in many areas are seeking to regain ancestral lands that were taken from them generations ago. 'This is what it looks like when we talk about land back,' James said. 'Land back means giving the land back to its original people with no strings attached. Let them provide their traditional knowledge to heal the land, the environment.' Read more: The Klamath River's dams are being removed. Inside the effort to restore a scarred watershed He said reaching this successful conclusion involved years of efforts by leaders of the tribe and Western Rivers Conservancy, as well as help from other partners. He said the deal should start more discussions nationwide about how other tribes can advance toward regaining their traditional lands. 'It's a big win for Indian Country,' he said. 'Here is a model that people could use, from our experience, to get land back.' The effort has more than doubled the tribe's landholdings. The lands were previously owned by Green Diamond Resource Co. and its predecessor Simpson Logging Co., which harvested timber there for nearly a century. The last time logging occurred on the property was in 2007. Western Rivers Conservancy, a Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit, signed a purchase agreement with Green Diamond in 2008 after five years of negotiations and efforts to identify funding. The lands were gradually acquired by the group between 2009 and 2017, and were transferred to the tribe in multiple phases. The conservation group used an innovative funding strategy, assembling $56 million from foundations, corporations and philanthropists, as well as other sources such as tax credits, public grants and the sale of carbon credits. State funding and support for the effort came from the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the California State Coastal Conservancy, as well as other agencies. 'We put together this mosaic of different funding sources,' said Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy. 'This is the result of commitment, persistence and tenacity.' Mathews' organization focuses on protecting rivers for fish, wildlife and the public, and was drawn to the project for its conservation benefits. By establishing the salmon sanctuary in Blue Creek, the deal safeguards a vital cold-water habitat for fish including Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead. 'With climate change, cold water is at a premium for these rivers, and it's critical,' Mathews said. 'So having complete protection of that watershed is important.' He said the deal shows how conservation goals and tribes' efforts to regain lands can align in ways that bring tremendous benefits. 'It's good for the soul to protect these rivers, and it's a double benefit to see the tribe get their land back,' Mathews said. Read more: A California tribe was twice robbed of its land. A 77-acre purchase brings hope Members of the Yurok Tribe say this effort and others like it are a critically important step in grappling with the lasting effects of colonization. During the 1800s, California's Native population was decimated by diseases, displacement and violence, including state-sponsored killings. The Yurok reservation was established by the federal government in 1855, confining the tribe to an area that covered only a tiny fraction of their ancestral territory. In the late 1800s, white settlers and speculators found ways to secure additional lands along the Klamath River where they could extract valuable redwood, in some cases by bribing U.S. General Land Office officials as they fraudulently acquired thousands of acres of timberlands. Today, the Yurok Tribe is the largest tribe in California, with more than 6,400 enrolled members. 'We are trying to recover from colonization,' said Amy Bowers Cordalis, a lawyer for the tribe and executive director of the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group. 'And we are just now getting into a place where we are starting to see some of the fruits of our efforts, between dam removal and now land back efforts.' Regaining these lands enables the tribe 'to start rebuilding and to start taking care of our land and our resources,' she said. 'We are strongly committed to living in a balance with the natural world.' She said for members of the tribe, visiting the cold, clear waters of Blue Creek is a spiritual experience. 'It's one of the most wild places in all of California, and it is glorious.' It's possible to see some of the area by boat, traveling from the Klamath River to the mouth of Blue Creek. But for now, access to the area is limited. James said that could change in the future, once restoration and other work is completed. 'At some point in time, we have an opportunity to turn that into a big, beautiful park,' James said. 'We've got to heal it first, put our resources in it, and it's going to take some time.' He said the tribe's members feel delighted to be once again stewarding these lands and waterways, as their ancestors once did. 'It's a beautiful feeling knowing that we'll have this land in our hands moving forward for the next seven generations, for our Yurok people and our grandchildren.' This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
14-06-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
After a century of logging, lands along California's Klamath River returned to tribe
Along the Klamath River in Northern California, where logging companies once cut ancient redwood trees, vast tracts of land have been returned to the Yurok Tribe in a years-long effort that tribal leaders say will enable the restoration of forests and the protection of a watershed that is vital for salmon. The effort, which unfolded gradually over the last 23 years, culminated in May as Western Rivers Conservancy turned over 14,968 acres to the Yurok Tribe. It was the last portion of 47,097 acres that the nonprofit group acquired and transferred to the tribe in what is thought to be the largest 'land back' deal in California history. Members of the tribe say they are celebrating the return of their ancestral lands along Blue Creek, a major tributary that meets the Klamath about 40 miles south of the Oregon border. Blue Creek holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Yurok, and its cold, clear waters provide a refuge for salmon. 'We are salmon people,' said Joseph L. James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe. 'The river takes care of us, and it's our job to take care of the river.' In all, the tribe now owns an additional 73 square miles along the lower Klamath River, including much of the Blue Creek watershed. The conifer forests, which were heavily logged over the last century, will be managed by the tribal government as two protected areas, the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and the Yurok Tribal Community Forest. Yurok leaders say regaining stewardship of these lands contributes to larger efforts to revive the ecological health of the Klamath watershed, where last year the removal of four dams farther upstream restored a free-flowing stretch of the river and enabled salmon to reach spawning areas that had been inaccessible for more than a century. 'This land is back home with us now, and we'll continue that work that we have done as Yurok people to protect the land, protect the streams, provide for our people and provide for the environment,' James said. In addition to Blue Creek, the land includes other streams that flow into the Klamath. The tribe plans projects to create healthier stream habitats for fish, and to restore meadows and prairies. In the forests, they plan to use controlled burns to thin vegetation that has built up. Some old logging roads are being decommissioned, while other roads are set to be upgraded. 'We're going to continue to work to bring back our wildlife population, our fish population,' James said. 'It's going to take a lot of work, but a lot of people are going to benefit from this.' Beyond the local benefits, James said the effort serves as an example for the Land Back movement, in which Native people in many areas are seeking to regain ancestral lands that were taken from them generations ago. 'This is what it looks like when we talk about land back,' James said. 'Land back means giving the land back to its original people with no strings attached. Let them provide their traditional knowledge to heal the land, the environment.' He said reaching this successful conclusion involved years of efforts by leaders of the tribe and Western Rivers Conservancy, as well as help from other partners. He said the deal should start more discussions nationwide about how other tribes can advance toward regaining their traditional lands. 'It's a big win for Indian Country,' he said. 'Here is a model that people could use, from our experience, to get land back.' The effort has more than doubled the tribe's landholdings. The lands were previously owned by Green Diamond Resource Co. and its predecessor Simpson Logging Co., which harvested timber there for nearly a century. The last time logging occurred on the property was in 2007. Western Rivers Conservancy, a Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit, signed a purchase agreement with Green Diamond in 2008 after five years of negotiations and efforts to identify funding. The lands were gradually acquired by the group between 2009 and 2017, and were transferred to the tribe in multiple phases. The conservation group used an innovative funding strategy, assembling $56 million from foundations, corporations and philanthropists, as well as other sources such as tax credits, public grants and the sale of carbon credits. State funding and support for the effort came from the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the California State Coastal Conservancy, as well as other agencies. 'We put together this mosaic of different funding sources,' said Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy. 'This is the result of commitment, persistence and tenacity.' Mathews' organization focuses on protecting rivers for fish, wildlife and the public, and was drawn to the project for its conservation benefits. By establishing the salmon sanctuary in Blue Creek, the deal safeguards a vital cold-water habitat for fish including Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead. 'With climate change, cold water is at a premium for these rivers, and it's critical,' Mathews said. 'So having complete protection of that watershed is important.' He said the deal shows how conservation goals and tribes' efforts to regain lands can align in ways that bring tremendous benefits. 'It's good for the soul to protect these rivers, and it's a double benefit to see the tribe get their land back,' Mathews said. Members of the Yurok Tribe say this effort and others like it are a critically important step in grappling with the lasting effects of colonization. During the 1800s, California's Native population was decimated by diseases, displacement and violence, including state-sponsored killings. The Yurok reservation was established by the federal government in 1855, confining the tribe to an area that covered only a tiny fraction of their ancestral territory. In the late 1800s, white settlers and speculators found ways to secure additional lands along the Klamath River where they could extract valuable redwood, in some cases by bribing U.S. General Land Office officials as they fraudulently acquired thousands of acres of timberlands. Today, the Yurok Tribe is the largest tribe in California, with more than 6,400 enrolled members. 'We are trying to recover from colonization,' said Amy Bowers Cordalis, a lawyer for the tribe and executive director of the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group. 'And we are just now getting into a place where we are starting to see some of the fruits of our efforts, between dam removal and now land back efforts.' Regaining these lands enables the tribe 'to start rebuilding and to start taking care of our land and our resources,' she said. 'We are strongly committed to living in a balance with the natural world.' She said for members of the tribe, visiting the cold, clear waters of Blue Creek is a spiritual experience. 'It's one of the most wild places in all of California, and it is glorious.' It's possible to see some of the area by boat, traveling from the Klamath River to the mouth of Blue Creek. But for now, access to the area is limited. James said that could change in the future, once restoration and other work is completed. 'At some point in time, we have an opportunity to turn that into a big, beautiful park,' James said. 'We've got to heal it first, put our resources in it, and it's going to take some time.' He said the tribe's members feel delighted to be once again stewarding these lands and waterways, as their ancestors once did. 'It's a beautiful feeling knowing that we'll have this land in our hands moving forward for the next seven generations, for our Yurok people and our grandchildren.'
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Largest Ever Land Back-Conservation Deal in Calif. Now Complete: Western Rivers Conservancy Conveys Final Acreage to Yurok Tribe in a 47,000-Acre Effort Critical to the Salmon, Wildlife and Forests of the Klamath River
Totaling 73 square miles, Blue Creek project marks milestone for Klamath River and Tribal sovereignty, more than doubling Tribe's land holdings Blue Creek flows into the Klamath River. Photo: Peter Marbach/Western Rivers Conservancy KLAMATH, Calif., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC), the Yurok Tribe, the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC) announce completion of the largest single 'land back' deal in California history, marking a milestone achievement for conservation and Tribal sovereignty. The 73 square miles of land along the eastern side of the lower Klamath River are now owned and managed by the Yurok Tribe as the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and Yurok Tribal Community Forest. (See map below.) Establishing Tribal ownership safeguards the long-term health of this critical ecosystem and culturally significant sites along the Klamath, which is home to one of the most important fall Chinook salmon runs on the West Coast. The conveyance of these lands to the Tribe has more than doubled the Tribe's land holdings; both California state agencies provided crucial funding to enable this transfer of ownership. 'On behalf of the Yurok people, I want to sincerely thank Western Rivers Conservancy for their longtime partnership and commitment to return a major part of our homeland. The impact of this project is enormous,' said Joseph L. James, the chairman of the Yurok Tribe. 'In working together for over two decades establishing the Community Forest and Salmon Sanctuary, we are forging a sustainable future for the fish, forests and our people that honors both ecological integrity and our cultural heritage.' The 47,097 acres of ancestral lands, located in the lower Klamath River watershed, play a crucial role in improving the health of Blue Creek, which carries great spiritual significance for the Yurok Tribe and is a crucial cold-water lifeline to the fish of the Klamath River. The forests, river lands and prairies they contain provide habitat for numerous imperiled species, including coho and Chinook salmon, marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl and Humboldt marten. Blue Creek serves as a vital cold-water refuge for salmon, steelhead and other fish in an era of climate change. Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy, emphasized the broader environmental benefits of this achievement: 'This project exemplifies the power of partnership, showcasing how conservation efforts and the land back movement can come together to benefit the rivers, fish, wildlife and people of an entire landscape. After more than 20 years of close collaboration with the Yurok Tribe, we have together achieved this magnificent conservation success while ensuring these lands and waters are in the hands of those most deeply committed to their future health and sustainable use. Blue Creek and its watershed are critical to the health of the entire Klamath fishery. The Yurok Tribe has the resources and the deep cultural connections that sustained this land for millennia, and now they can continue to do so.'About the Blue Creek ProjectToday's announcement marks the completion of Western Rivers Conservancy's 23-year effort to convey 47,097 acres of critical lands along the Klamath River and encompassing the lower Blue Creek watershed, including their confluence, to the Yurok Tribe. From 2009 through 2017, WRC acquired or facilitated transfer of the lands from Green Diamond Resource Company in multiple phases; conveyance of the lands from WRC to the Yurok has happened in multiple phases as well. The conveyance of the final 14,968 acres from WRC to the Yurok Tribe closed on May 30, 2025. The historic 47,097-acre land transfer, at a purchase price of $56 million, encompasses the entire lower half of the Blue Creek watershed, 25 miles of the eastern bank of the Klamath River and dozens of miles of smaller salmon-bearing tributary streams, including Blue Creek, Bear Creek, Pecwan Creek and Ke'Pel Creek. The lands were owned and managed as commercial timberland by Green Diamond and its predecessor Simpson Logging Company for nearly 100 years. These lands are the ancestral homelands of the Yurok Tribe, who have lived along the Klamath River and depended on its salmon since time immemorial. This collaboration between a nonprofit conservation organization and a Native American Tribe reflects the growing intersectional movement between land back and environmental stewardship in the United States. To pay for the project, WRC pieced together an innovative funding strategy that brought together $56 million in private capital, low interest loans, tax credits and carbon credit sales. Of that, only $8 million was through direct public grants. The private funding included traditional sources, such as gifts from private foundations, corporations and philanthropic individuals, as well as nontraditional sources like the sale of carbon credits, which will continue to support the project, and capital generated through the New Markets Tax Credit program of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In addition to raising the funds to purchase the land, WRC will also transfer $3.3 million generated through the sale of carbon credits to the Yurok Tribe to be used for future stewardship of the property. When project costs are included, the full value of the Blue Creek conveyance is over $70 million. A New Salmon Sanctuary and Tribal Community ForestConveyance of the final lands from WRC to the Yurok Tribe completes the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary, a 14,790-acre cold-water refuge surrounded by forest lands that will now be managed for forest complexity and old-growth health for the benefit of the Klamath River's fish and wildlife. The entirety of Blue Creek is now permanently protected, from its headwaters and upper reaches in the Siskiyou Wilderness to its confluence with the Klamath River. Located 16 miles upstream from the mouth of the Klamath, Blue Creek provides the first cold-water refuge in the river for migrating salmon and steelhead, allowing summer and fall-run fish to lower their body temperatures enough to survive their long journey to upstream spawning grounds. Blue Creek is thus an essential component of the overall health of the Klamath River and the entirety of its salmon runs, especially as the removal of all the Klamath dams has reopened vast spawning habitat in the upper river. The other 32,307 acres of redwood and mixed conifer forest outside the Salmon Sanctuary now constitute the Yurok Tribal Community Forest. Already more than a decade in the making, the forest is being allowed to recover from nearly a century of industrial logging that left both the forest and the streams in need of extensive restoration. The Tribe's sustainable forestry practices are focused on putting the Yurok Community Forest on a path to become more diverse and mature by increasing the time between harvests. The Community Forest provides jobs for Tribal members in forestry and restoration, helping build the future for the Yurok people. It also helps mitigate the effects of climate change. Recent research has demonstrated that redwood forests can store more carbon per acre than any other type of forest and that second-growth (previously logged) redwood forests have the greatest potential to accumulate carbon even faster than old-growth trees. From 2013 until present, WRC worked in a formal co-management agreement with the Yurok Tribe to conduct the necessary planning and implementation for forest restoration and management, aquatic restoration, logging road removal and preparations for the final conveyance of land. This agreement served to build capacity and expertise for both WRC and the Yurok, as they collaborated to meet grant requirements, finalize the management plan and initiate on-the-ground restoration projects and chart the future of both the Salmon Sanctuary and the Community Forest. Western Rivers Conservancy and the Yurok Tribe's Shared Vision for Blue CreekWRC and the Yurok Tribe's shared vision has been to create a sustainable and inclusive model of land management that prioritizes Blue Creek and the Klamath River and honors both ecological integrity and cultural heritage. The project's outcomes benefit both land conservation and cultural repatriation. 'Everyone has a vested interest in seeing the Klamath salmon runs survive and thrive,' said WRC President Emerita and co-founder Sue Doroff, who launched the Blue Creek project and oversaw it until her retirement in June 2024. 'Millions of dollars and immeasurable human energy are being invested in the Klamath River right now. There are two things that are key to the success of this massive effort to save this river and its salmon: Blue Creek and the Yurok people. I am honored beyond words to have worked together with the Yurok to ensure the Klamath and its fish and wildlife will have a salmon sanctuary and cold water refuge where they need it most.' The Klamath River is in prolonged recovery from more than a century of logging, dams, gold mining and other human activities. In August 2024, the last three of four dams were removed from the upper Klamath River. Initiated by Klamath Basin tribes, the removal of these dams reopened more than 400 miles of salmon habitat in the upper river for the first time in over a century. 'The dams were the single biggest impediment to salmon production on the Klamath because they had such a negative influence on the river ecosystem. Through dam removal, protection and restoration of critical tributaries like Blue Creek and proper water management, we will restore the fish runs that sustained us and this entire region,' said Barry McCovey, director of the Yurok Fisheries Department, which employs nearly 100 scientists and technicians. Western Rivers Conservancy – A Leader in Land BackFor more than 30 years, WRC has taken the lead in marrying conservation and tribal land-return outcomes, working with tribal nations to permanently protect rivers and the lands that sustain them. WRC and its many tribal partners, who are the original stewards of riverlands across the West, make natural conservation partners given that tribal nations often possess the resources, foresight, expertise and commitment to restore and conserve these vital places in perpetuity. Most recently, WRC conveyed 327 acres of the Little Sur River and surrounding ancestral redwood forest to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County along California's central coast. A complete list and history of WRC's Tribal Nations partnerships are available here. Project FundingState funding and support for the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and Yurok Tribal Community Forest was provided by the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program. 'Returning these lands to the Yurok Tribe is an unprecedented step forward for the Klamath River, and it comes at a critical moment following the removal of the Klamath River dams. Returning ancestral lands to Native American tribes is an essential step in restoring ecological balance and health,' said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the California Wildlife Conservation Board. 'WCB is proud to be part of this truly historic achievement, both for the Yurok people and as part of the broader effort to guarantee the long-term survival of the Klamath's salmon and the wildlife of Northern California.' 'Thanks to this incredible group of partners, the Blue Creek Salmon Sanctuary and Yurok Tribal Community Forest have become one of California's great conservation successes—one that will nurture tribal resilience for the Yurok people, improve conditions for the Klamath River's salmon and wildlife and carry forward the Coastal Conservancy's mission of improving climate resilience on the California Coast,' said Amy Hutzel, executive officer of the California State Coastal Conservancy. Additional support came from Compton Foundation, Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, George F. Jewett Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, Giles W. and Elise G. Mead Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/Acres for America and Walmart Stores, Inc., Natural Resources Conservation Service, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Land-Sea Connection program of Resources Legacy Fund made possible by the Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Weeden Foundation and The Wyss Foundation. Please visit the Klamath River/Blue Creek project web page for additional information on this historic achievement, including a complete list of project funders and funding details. Note to media: Hi-res images and b-roll are available here. *** The Yurok TribeWith more than 6,400 enrolled members, the Yurok Tribe is currently the largest Tribe in California. Yurok ancestral territory comprises 7.5 percent of the California coastline, extending from the Little River in Humboldt County to Damnation Creek in Del Norte County. The eastern boundary is the Klamath River's confluence with the Trinity River. The Tribe's more than 500 employees provide numerous services to the local community. The Tribe's major initiatives include holistic forest management, fisheries protection, restoration and management, Klamath dam removal, condor reintroduction, natural resources conservation, cultural preservation, sustainable economic development and land acquisition. More information at Western Rivers ConservancyWestern Rivers Conservancy's motto is 'Sometimes to save a river, you have to buy it.' WRC purchases land along the West's finest rivers and streams to conserve habitat for fish and wildlife, protect key sources of cold water and create public access for all to enjoy. To ensure the lands it acquires are protected in perpetuity, WRC transfers them to long-term stewards such as federal, state and regional agencies and Tribal Nations. WRC has created sanctuaries for fish and wildlife and secured recreational access along 250 rivers and streams around the West. It has protected more than 440 river miles and over 225,000 acres of land in nine western states. Its approach to river conservation is effective, tangible and permanent. More information at Wildlife Conservation BoardThe Wildlife Conservation Board protects, restores and enhances California's spectacular natural resources for wildlife and for the public's use and enjoyment in partnership with conservation groups, government agencies and the people of California. Originally created within the California Department of Natural Resources and later placed with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, WCB is a separate and independent Board with authority and funding to carry out an acquisition and development program for wildlife conservation. More information at California State Coastal ConservancyThe Coastal Conservancy is a non-regulatory state agency that works with others along the California coast, in coastal watersheds, and in the San Francisco Bay Area to protect and restore coastal resources, to help people get to and enjoy the coast, and to enhance climate resilience. Our vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future Californians. More information at Media Contacts: Yurok Tribe - Matt Mais, (707) 954-0976, mmais@ Western Rivers Conservancy - Andie Davis, (415) 766-8355, WesternRivers@ Wildlife Conservation Board - Mark Topping, (916) 539-4673, Coastal Conservancy - Taylor Samuelson, (510) 286-4182, Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
