California plots return of 7.5 million acres of land and coastal waters to Indigenous tribes

"When California became a state in 1850, officials signed 18 treaties setting aside millions of acres for tribal reservations. Congress killed the deals in secret after pressure from state leaders. Many tribes had already moved, trusting the promises. Now California wants to make good."

"The new Tribal Stewardship Policy lets tribes reclaim land, co-manage public spaces and return to sacred sites. It also revives long-banned practices like controlled burns, a technique experts say is critical for stopping wildfires."

"State officials call it both moral and practical. Indigenous land management could help save communities and ecosystems as fires rage and drought worsens. More than 1.7 million acres are already under tribal stewardship through reservations, partnerships and previous land returns."

California is implementing a Tribal Stewardship Policy to return 7.5 million acres—representing 7% of the state—to Native tribes, fulfilling promises made through 18 treaties signed in 1850 that Congress secretly nullified. This land return enables tribes to reclaim territory, co-manage public spaces, access sacred sites, and revive traditional practices including controlled burns for wildfire prevention. Currently, 1.7 million acres operate under tribal stewardship through reservations and partnerships. State officials frame this as both morally necessary and practically beneficial for ecosystem management and community protection amid increasing fires and drought. While advocates support the initiative, they note remaining restrictions on tribal land use and required negotiations with state agencies. California's plan significantly exceeds similar efforts in other states.

Read at New York Post