Indigenous tribe reveals plans for 136 acres of California coastline after Gavin Newsom hands it back

A breathtaking 136-acre stretch of pristine Northern California coastline newly handed back to Indigenous tribes is proposed to become a place for ceremonies — and for teaching younger generations how to live off the land and sea.The rugged Mendocino County property — which includes Blues Beach and an ancient village site known at K’etim — was transferred by California transportation officials to Kai Poma, a tribal nonprofit, after a decades-long battle to reclaim the ancestral land.The nonprofit represents the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Round Valley Indian Tribes and Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Now, tribal leaders have revealed more about what they hope to do with their newly reclaimed slice of coastal paradise.

“We want to protect the natural habitat,” Eddie Knight, chairman of Kai Poma and historic preservation officer for Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, told environmental news outlet Mongabay.Knight, who is of Coastal Yuki descent, said leaders want to teach young tribal members “how to harvest our native foods, our sea foods, our seaweeds, our kelps and how to fish.”“Allowing our youth to get an idea of how they can use it in the future and use it now,” he added.

“It’s going to take a little time, but we do have a plan.”The shoreline will remain open to the public, and under the terms of the deed transfer from Caltrans to Kai Poma, the stretch of sand must stay accessible to everyone, with zero admission fees.Commercial development is also prohibited, and if the nonprofit fails to maintain the site or dissolves, the land reverts back to Caltrans.For the Coastal Yuki, the plot of land was an ancient village site reportedly holding centuries of buried ancestors and deep orig...