FRESNO, Calif. – Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the return of more than 17,000 acres of ancestral land to the Tule River Indian Tribe based in Tulare County. The state said it marks the largest ancestral land return in California’s Central Valley region.
The Tribe plans to reintroduce Tule elk to the land. The native subspecies was once abundant across the Central Valley and is known for their giant antlers and role in grassland ecosystems. Several organizations who took part in the land return hope the return of the species will help restore the land’s ecological balance.
Once covering more than 91,000 acres, the Tule River Indian Reservation today encompasses over 55,000 acres of forest and rangeland.
Gov. Newsom said the land return was done to remedy historical bad actions against California’s Indian tribes.
“The historical wrongs committed by the state against the Native people of this land echo through the natural worlds of California — ecosystems that lost their first and best stewards,” Newsom said in a press release.
The Tule River Indian Tribe said the land return will help advance its sovereignty, restore habitats, and honor the connection to their lands and culture.
CNRA Secretary Wade Crowfoot, said the importance of California’s decision.
"The return of Tule elk to these foothills shows what is possible when cultural resilience and conservation come together to build a healthier, more just California,” Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the state’s Natural Resources Agency, said. “Moving forward, we are charting a future in which tribal leadership guides all we do to protect our lands, waters, and wildlife."
Last year, the Tribe and California Department of Fish and Wildlife partnered to reintroduce beavers in the same area. Officials said the restoration will improve groundwater recharge, reduce flood risks, and secure water supplies for communities downstream of the Tule River.
This story was produced by Israel Cardona Hernandez as part of an internship program through Fresno State’s Media, Communications and Journalism department. KVPR reporter Rachel Livinal contributed.
