LandBack advances across the West

By: Chad Bradley, High Country News, Anna V. Smith, High Country News

Outlets: Source New Mexico

Published: February 16, 2026

Words: 1,078

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 6 days ago

Body Text Preview

The cold, crystalline waters of Blue Creek — a refuge for salmon and a place of cultural importance to the Yurok Tribe — cut through bedrock and over tumbled-smooth gray stones until they empty into the Klamath River in Northern California. Last summer, 14,000 acres encompassing the Blue Creek watershed were returned to the tribe. This transfer concluded the last phase of the largest tribal land return in California history, amounting to 47,100 acres of …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us