Placer Land Trust is committed to protecting and caring for land in a way that is inclusive and equitable. One way to do that is by working with our local Native American Tribes, who have a long and deep relationship to these lands. We know that the protected lands in our care are the ancestral lands of several Tribes who were unjustly treated and had lands forcibly seized. Unfortunately, we can’t change the past, but today we can partner with local Tribes to facilitate their connection to land and to help address this injustice.
That’s why we’re excited to share that we have partnered with the Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe to transfer ownership of the Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve, 40 acres of forestland above the North Fork American River, to the Tribe. The Tribe is comprised of Nisenan, Maidu and Miwok people of the Sierra Nevada mountains and foothills of Placer County, and they consider this land to be part of their ancestral homelands.
Owning and managing natural land in its homelands supports the Tribe’s effort to restore federal recognition of the Colfax Rancheria. This property’s location, on Moody Ridge above Green Valley with views of the river below and the Sierra Nevada above, provides a fitting place to put traditional cultural and ecological knowledge into practice and host educational activities for the Tribe and the public at large. Grinding rocks on the Preserve are a reminder that this land was a Tribal food gathering and preparation site for generations.
“For a long time, Tribes in California have lost land,” says Tribal Chairman Clyde Prout III. “Having a piece of land actually come back to the Tribe, where we can utilize our traditional cultural stewardship practices and have a place to gather — it’s huge. Now we have a place where we can keep our traditions going.”
The Preserve is now officially known as Yo’ Dok’im Pakan – Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve.
“Yo’ Dok’im Pakan means ‘North Fork Spring’ in Nisenan,” says Prout. “It’s important to speak the language of the area and pay homage to the people who were here and are still here. These lands, plants, and animals remember the Nisenan language, and this name honors the area and what the land offers.”
The Preserve is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, from large mammals such as bear, deer, bobcat, and coyote, to reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects. It contains a mixed oak and conifer forest, a vibrant spring, small seasonal waterfall, and several large rock outcrops. These amazing conservation values are just a few reasons why previous landowner, Neil Gerjuoy, delayed his plans to sell the land for development in order to work with Placer Land Trust to permanently protect it. Placer Land Trust acquired the Preserve in December 2020 with grant funding from the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). Both Mr. Gerjuoy and WCB are in support of this land transfer.
The transfer of this land does not change any of the protections that exist on the Preserve. As of April 2022, the Preserve is now owned by the Tribe’s nonprofit, Koy’o Land Conservancy. The Conservancy will assume responsibility for requirements and deed restrictions that prohibit development and ensure that the Preserve is forever protected as open space.
“The Wildlife Conservation Board is proud to be part of this important project supporting collaboration between the Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe and Placer Land Trust to steward the Yo’ Dok’im Pakan – Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve,” says Rebecca Fris, WCB Assistant Executive Director.
With the financial support of Neil Gerjuoy, Placer Land Trust was able to provide the Conservancy with a grant for ongoing stewardship of the Preserve. And the two nonprofits have agreed to continue to partner for the foreseeable future, starting with monitoring the property together for the first three years.
“We plan to learn from each other and listen to what the land has to tell us,” says Placer Land Trust Executive Director Jeff Darlington. “This land donation isn’t a beginning or an end, it’s an important milestone in our ongoing work to diversify and bring more justice into land conservation. And like this Preserve, that commitment is here to stay.”
