Washoe Tribe Secures Historic 10,274-Acre Land Return North of Lake Tahoe
A major piece of the northern Sierra is returning to Washoe stewardship.
The Waší·šiw Land Trust has finalized the purchase of 10,274 acres northeast of Lake Tahoe, marking the largest tribal land return ever completed in the Sierra Nevada and the third largest in California. The property, formerly known as Loyalton Ranch, will now be called the Wélmelti? Preserve.
Funded through a $5.5 million grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board along with private donations, the acquisition ensures the land will be permanently conserved under Washoe ownership.
Stretching from Long Valley to Sierra Valley, the preserve includes sagebrush plains, meadows, aspen groves and conifer forests. It provides critical migration corridors for pronghorn, mule deer, mountain lion and gray wolf. The landscape also supports culturally significant plants like pinyon pine, a traditional Washoe food source that has been heavily impacted by wildfire.
Tribal leaders describe the purchase as a step toward healing generations of displacement and restoring access to ancestral homelands. The vision for the property centers on habitat restoration, conservation, cultural revitalization and connecting Washoe youth back to the land and language.
The effort was years in the making, completed in partnership with the Northern Sierra Partnership and the Feather River Land Trust.
The Waší·šiw Land Trust is now working to raise an additional $2 million to fund long-term stewardship and future land return projects across the northern Washoe homelands.
