Ancestral Lands Returned to the Esselen Tribe
We are honored to share the news of a deeply meaningful milestone: 1,720 acres of ancestral land along Tularcitos Creek in Monterey County have been returned to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County.
This land return is a powerful example of our belief that true conservation includes restoring land to its original stewards. In 2023, The Wildlands Conservancy acquired the Tularcitos Creek property using private bridge funding, with the intention of ultimately returning it to the Tribe. Thanks to the generous support of the California Wildlife Conservation Board and the State Coastal Conservancy, that vision is now a reality.
The Wildlife Conservation Board awarded $6.55 million to make this transfer possible, with additional funding from the State Coastal Conservancy in support of cultural and climate resilience. While all elements for the transfer are in place, escrow is expected to close in mid-July.
“When The Wildlands Conservancy acquired the Tularcitos parcels, our vision was always to see this land returned to its original stewards,” said Frazier Haney, executive director of The Wildlands Conservancy. “We are honored to continue our partnership with the Esselen Tribe to ensure this extraordinary landscape is protected, restored, and cared for with the cultural knowledge and connection that only the original stewards of the land can bring.”
Once part of the historic Rana Creek Ranch, this landscape is both ecologically vital and culturally sacred. It includes oak woodlands, vernal pools, and riparian corridors that support endangered species such as the California red-legged frog and California condor. The land also contains sacred Esselen sites, including the village site of Cappanay, a place of enduring memory and meaning.
“This land is part of who we are,” said Tom Little Bear Nason, tribal chairman of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County. “Returning it to Esselen stewardship is an act of healing — for our people, for the land itself, and for the broader community.”
The property also plays a crucial role as a wildlife corridor, connecting the Sierra de Salinas and Santa Lucia Range to the expansive Los Padres National Forest, strengthening ecological connectivity across the region.
Under the Tribe’s stewardship, the land will be protected from development and cared for using Indigenous ecological practices that have sustained these lands for millennia. These include cultural fire, oak woodland regeneration, riparian restoration, and youth education programs to reconnect future generations with their homelands.
This return builds on our ongoing partnership with the Esselen Tribe, including the co-stewardship of the adjacent 12,452-acre Rana Creek Preserve. Together, we are demonstrating what’s possible when conservation is grounded in collaboration, cultural respect, and Indigenous leadership.
Read the full press release and learn more about this collaboration here.