The Big Sur Land Trust has returned 84 acres of land, rich in wetlands and natural resources, to the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN) in Northern California. The nonprofit organization purchased the property near Highway 68 in Monterey for $2.75 million in 2024 with the express goal of returning it to the tribe.
This 84-acre parcel, previously known as the Hiss Parcel, is now under the stewardship of OCEN. Rachel Saunders, Vice President of Conservation for the Big Sur Land Trust, stated that the tribe intends to use the land as a gathering space for its people and to celebrate their culture.
For the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation, this marks a significant moment as it is their first acquisition of land for their own use in Monterey, the historical homeland of the tribe. As a non-federally recognized tribe, OCEN has not previously had designated reservation land, despite inhabiting Monterey County for thousands of years before Spanish colonization.
The land is situated on the south side of Highway 68, across from the Monterey Regional Airport. It serves as a critical wildlife corridor, connecting protected areas such as Fort Ord National Monument and Jacks Peak County Park, and also safeguards portions of the Canyon Del Rey watershed. According to Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, President and CEO of the Big Sur Land Trust, the acquisition has substantial conservation value. By preventing potential development, the land will protect important habitats, with sightings of deer, coyote, and black bears noted on the property.
This land transfer follows a similar action in July, when California approved the transfer of a 136-acre coastal area in Mendocino County to Kai Poma, a nonprofit entity managed by the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the Round Valley Indian Tribes, and the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians.