Niyaz Huseynzade 
In a significant victory for conservation, a 523-acre old redwood forest has been returned to Indigenous ownership. The “Save the Redwoods League” acquired 256 acres of land known as Andersonia West for $3.55 million in 2020. The National Football League has stated that this land, which will be turned into a forest, will be given to InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council, a collaboration of 10 Northern California Tribal Nations that works to preserve the environment. This is a crucial stage in protecting these ancient trees and the animals that live in them.
“This area is part of the Sinkyone traditional region, which has been and continues to be an important component of the Sinkyone people’s culture for thousands of years. For the Sinkyone Council and its member tribes, it holds significant cultural significance,” Priscilla Hunter, chairwoman of the Sinkyone Council, explains. One of the most beautiful sections in California, this prime property features second-growth redwoods, Douglas-firs, 1.5 miles of Anderson Creek, and various endangered animals, including the northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet.
The Silver City Council changed the name to “Tc’ih-Léh-Dûñ,” which means “Fish Run Place” in Sinkyone. “The name Tc’ih-Léh-Dûñ was chosen to signify that the property is a holy area; it’s a location for our native people. It tells them that there was a language and a people who lived there long before now,” Crista Ray, a board member of the Sinkyone Council, explains. For years, California was beset by wildfires, and this partnership between the league and council was intended to assist in healing the land “through tribal care.”
Find out more about this incredible donation by going to Synkyone Council’s website.
