California Transfers 136 Acres of Mendocino Coastline to Indigenous tribes

The return of Blues Beach and surrounding bluffs marks the first time California land managed by Caltrans has been transferred back to Indigenous tribes.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

California is returning a 136-acre stretch of rugged Mendocino County coastline to Indigenous tribes whose ancestors lived on and cared for the land before colonization.

The property, which includes Blues Beach and surrounding coastal bluffs, had been managed by the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Caltrans officials recently approved transferring the land to Kai Poma, a nonprofit created by representatives of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Round Valley Indian Tribes and Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

The transfer reportedly marks the first time land under Caltrans management has been returned to Indigenous tribes.

J. Carlos Rivera, tribal chairman of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, told the newspaper that the transfer restores land with deep ancestral meaning.

“We are basically obtaining the land that our people once lived on before colonization,” Rivera said.

California purchased the coastal property in the 1960s as part of plans connected to Highway 1, including road expansion and the creation of a scenic viewing area for travelers, according to a California Coastal Commission report cited in the submitted material.

In more recent years, officials said public access to the site created problems along the beach and bluffs. Large groups have reportedly camped and partied there, especially on summer weekends, while vehicles have driven through sensitive areas, damaged cultural sites and left trash behind.

Supporters of the transfer said returning the land to tribal stewardship will help protect both the coastline and culturally significant areas.

“One of the most spectacular stretches of the Mendocino Coast will be forever protected,” said Democratic state Sen. Mike McGuire, who sponsored legislation that helped advance the years-long effort to transfer the property.

The transfer places Blues Beach and the surrounding bluffs under the care of Kai Poma, giving the tribes a formal role in managing land their ancestors once occupied while preserving a prominent section of California’s northern coast.