Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians seeks co-management

On Jan. 31, Michael Hunter, chairman of the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting immediate initiation of government to government consultations for Tribal-State Co-management of Jackson Demonstration State Forest, which is located in the tribe’s ancestral Northern Pomo and Coast Yuki ancestral territory.

Hunter premises his tribe’s request for co-management pursuant to the authority of a new state policy directive, the Statement of Administration Policy Native American Ancestral Lands Sept. 25, 2020, which declares that “in the spirit of truth and healing in recognition of past harms done to California Native American communities, it is the policy of this administration to encourage every State agency, department, board and commission (collectively, “entities”) subject to my executive control to seek opportunities to support California tribes’ co-management of and access to natural lands that are within a California tribe’s ancestral land and under the ownership or control of the State of California, and to work cooperatively with California tribes that are interested in acquiring natural lands in excess of State needs.”

The tribe’s co-management consultations will also involve revisions to the current Management Plan for JDSF to address tribal concerns.

Beyond the Secretary of the CA Natural Resource Agency and Cal Fire who are currently in consultation with the tribe, the tribe is asking that the governor bring to the consultation table the heads of the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, the CA Regional Water Quality Control Board, the CA Native American Heritage Commission and the State Office of Historic Preservation.

The tribe’s comanagement consultations will also involve revisions to the current Management Plan for JDSF to address tribal concerns.