Tule River Indian Tribe of California Reclaims 17,030 Acres and Reintroduces Tule Elk on Ancestral Land

Largest ancestral land return in Sierra Nevada foothills and Central Valley restores cultural connections, strengthens sovereignty, and advances California's 30x30 goals

Sacramento, Calif. - In a historic milestone, the Tule River Indian Tribe (TRIT), in partnership with the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and The Conservation Fund (TCF), announced the return of 17,030 acres of ancestral land in the Sierra Nevada foothills and Central Valley region. This marks the largest ancestral land return in the history of the region and a major step in addressing historical wrongs against California Native American tribes.

Funded through CNRA's Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program, WCB's Habitat Conservation Fund, and private philanthropic partners, for the TRIT, the return facilitated by The Conservation Fund restores sacred homelands, renews access to traditional foods and medicines, and strengthens cultural continuity for future generations. In partnership with CDFW, the Tribe will reintroduce tule elk absent from the foothills for decades, protect important habitat, and sustain the recovery of the California condor. This shared wildlife management effort sets a model for future tribal and state collaboration.

The TRIT land acquisition also safeguards vital watersheds that support downstream communities, wildlife, and agricultural lands. The lands include much of the middle Deer Creek watershed, one of the last undammed waterways in the southern Sierra Nevada, which will be restored through the Tribe's Yowlumni Hills Management Plan. These efforts will reconnect landscapes between the Giant Sequoia National Monument, the TRIT Reservation, and San Joaquin Valley wetlands, advancing California's 30x30 conservation goals.

Restoration will also improve groundwater recharge, reduce flood risks, and secure water supplies for downstream disadvantaged San Joaquin-Tulare communities. By healing watersheds, enhancing resilience, and expanding cultural access, this project delivers benefits far beyond Tribal boundaries, creating lasting protections for people, wildlife, and lands across the region.

Tule River Indian Tribe

Lester R. Nieto Jr. "Shine", Chairman, Tule River Tribal Council

"The Tule River Tribe has a long history of asserting and affirming its sovereignty. This land return demonstrates the very essence of tribal land restoration, which expands access to essential food and medicinal resources. It also supports the ongoing preservation of cultural sites, deepens environmental stewardship, and restores wildlife reintroduction efforts. The Tribe envisions this land located in the Yowlumne Hills as a place to gather, heal, and simply be, for members of the Tule River Indian Tribe. We extend our sincere thanks to the CNRA, WCB, philanthropic partners, and The Conservation Fund for their generous support of this land return."

Governor Gavin Newsom

"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. Today marks a critical step in deepening the relationship between the state and the Tule River Indian Tribe, and works towards restoring the deep relationship between the Tribe and their ancestral lands."

California Natural Resources Agency

Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency "This land return reflects the very best of California, honoring Tribal leadership, reintroducing keystone wildlife, and investing to help people and nature thrive together. 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. Moving forward, we are charting a future in which tribal leadership guides all we do to protect our lands, waters, and wildlife."

The Conservation Fund

Ben Fryer, Senior Field Representative, The Conservation Fund "Californians can be proud of collaborative conservation projects like this one, and the role that all of us can play in bringing land return projects to life. By working in partnership with the Tule River Indian Tribe to swiftly secure the former Hershey and Carothers Ranches, we protected a landscape that is central to the Tribe's vision for cultural and ecological stewardship. We applaud and appreciate the State of California and the private philanthropic funders who stepped up to make this project possible."

Wildlife Conservation Board

Jennifer Norris "The Wildlife Conservation Board is honored to support the return of Hershey Ranch to the Tule River Indian Tribe," said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. "This project restores sovereignty and connection to ancestral lands while conserving thousands of acres of oak woodlands, grasslands, and riparian habitat. It also strengthens wildlife corridors between the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra Nevada, advancing both cultural and ecological resilience for generations to come."

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Charlton H. Bonham, Director, California Department of Fish and Wildlife "Through the vision of Tule River Indian Tribe, we mark a culmination of ecological restoration achievement. Tule elk have been returned to their historic range, beavers have been returned to their historic range, and the California condor's historic range will be protected. These are all interlocking pieces of this ecosystem that will help restore the landscape." This historic land return was made possible through the dedication of many partners, with special thanks to the Power in Nature Coalition and the California Native Plant Society's Alta Peak Chapter for their leadership in helping initiate this land return. A land return ceremony will be held on Oct. 29, 2025, with tribal leaders, state partners, and community members in attendance.

About the Tule River Tribe
The Tule River Tribe, a federally recognized Yokuts tribe in California, governs the Tule River Reservation established in 1873 in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Once spanning over 91,000 acres, the reservation today includes more than 55,000 acres of forest and rangeland. In 2023, the Tribe reclaimed over 17,000 acres of ancestral homelands through partnerships with state and private funders, advancing sovereignty, restoring habitat, and honoring the Tribe's enduring connection to its lands and culture.

About the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program

California's Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program is a first-of-its-kind, $100 million initiative investing directly in Tribal-led land return and stewardship projects. The program supports truth and healing with California Native American tribes while advancing biodiversity conservation and climate resilience statewide.

About the Wildlife Conservation Board

The Wildlife Conservation Board is a state grant-making agency dedicated to safeguarding California's spectacular biological diversity and wild spaces for the benefit of present and future generations. WCB works in partnership with tribes, conservation organizations, and government agencies to acquire lands and design and implement habitat restoration and public access projects statewide.

About The Conservation Fund

The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us all. We are in the business of conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective strategies, efficient financing approaches and enduring government, community and private partnerships to protect millions of acres of America's natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms. To learn more, visit www.conservationfund.org.