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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Real Estate
Placer Land Trust transferred 308 acres of forestland near Foresthill, Calif., to the Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe, its largest land-back project to date.
This effort marks the second — and largest — Land Back project completed in partnership between Placer Land Trust and the Tribe. The Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe, a nonprofit tribal organization that is not federally recognized, is based in Placer County, Calif.
The Owl Creek property, known in Nisenan as Hym hym hop’, sits within the tribe’s ancestral territory and carries deep cultural and family significance. The land transfer closed in April with $1.36 million from the California Department of Forest and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Forest Legacy Program, which requires a permanent conservation easement to prevent subdivision or development, according to Placer Land Trust.
Without conservation, the Owl Creek property was at risk of being subdivided for rural residential development. This project reflects strong collaboration and strategic timing between partners committed to protecting the land’s ecological and cultural values. The property includes mixed conifer forest, riparian habitat, and areas used for hunting, gathering and ceremony.
The tribe has identified six acres as a designated area for a future Tribal headquarters and forest stewardship operations center, noting that land ownership is key to pursuing future federal recognition. Plans include the restoration and maintenance of fuels and forest health on the property, and eventual managed public access for recreation and education.
Tribal leaders marked the transfer at an April 22 gathering, noting the land’s long-standing role in Nisenan use and stewardship.
