California has returned 136 acres of scenic coastline and bluffs in Mendocino County to three Indigenous tribes, a move described as historic and significant for tribal reconciliation. The land, which includes Blues Beach and the surrounding bluffs, was transferred on June 26 to Kai Poma, a tribal nonprofit representing the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Round Valley Indian Tribes, and Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
This marks the first time the California Department of Transportation has returned land to Indigenous people. "This is beyond huge," J Carols Rivera, the Sherwood Valley tribal chairman, told The Los Angeles Times. "It's enormous from our tribal perspective that we are basically obtaining the land that our people once lived on before colonization."
The state acquired the property in the 1960s to expand Highway 1, intending to provide motorists with ocean views. The California Coastal Commission, an agency overseen by Governor Newsom, is spearheading efforts to return land to Native American tribes as part of an initiative focused on "healing and restoration."
Newsom has also allocated over $100 million for 33 land projects aimed at supporting Native American tribes across the state. "These awards are an acknowledgment of past sins, a promise of accountability, and a commitment to a better future," the governor stated.
Public access to Blues Beach has previously been largely unregulated, leading to large gatherings and concerns about environmental damage, including the disruption of sensitive areas and the accumulation of trash. Kai Poma plans to conduct cultural and archaeological studies to develop an environmental plan for protecting the site and its resources.
Rivera emphasized the land's sacred significance and the deep connection tribal members have to it, noting its use for gathering resources like seaweed and abalone, and as a site for youth cultural camps.
The transfer process, which took years, was enabled by legislation signed by Newsom in 2021. Sponsored by Democratic Sen. Mike McGuire, the bill authorized the land transfer, prohibited commercial activity on the property, and mandated the maintenance of public access. McGuire stated that the agreement provides the tribes with a "rightful opportunity to reclaim sacred lands and cultural traditions."
Under the new stewardship, public access to the beach will be permitted from sunrise to sunset. The final deed transfer, which will officially place the land under Kai Poma's ownership, is expected imminently.