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4w ago

Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation Reclaims 900 Acres on Yosemite’s Western Edge

The transfer was funded by a $2.4 million California grant through the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions program.

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The south slope of Henness Ridge is part of the 897-acre property acquired by the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation this week.
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Overview

  • Pacific Forest Trust completed the transfer this week of nearly 900 acres along Henness Ridge bordering Yosemite National Park, with no land inside the park.
  • The California Natural Resources Agency’s grant enabled the deal as part of a program that in May 2024 allocated $107.7 million to 33 tribal land and restoration projects.
  • Pacific Forest Trust bought the parcel about two decades ago to prevent vacation-home development and restored areas burned in the 2018 Ferguson Fire by planting roughly 125,000 native seedlings.
  • The Southern Sierra Miwuk plan to use traditional stewardship, including prescribed burns, reforestation, and native plant restoration, while harvesting foods, fibers, and medicines for cultural practices.
  • The tribe, displaced during the Gold Rush and not federally recognized, says the regained territory reinforces cultural identity and could bolster its long-running recognition effort.