Washoe Tribe Completes Historic 10,274-Acre Land Return Near Lake Tahoe
The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California announced Wednesday that it has completed the purchase of more than 10,000 acres of ancestral land in the Sierra Nevada, marking the largest tribal land return ever completed in the mountain range and the third largest in California.
The tribe acquired 10,274 acres northeast of Lake Tahoe and about 20 miles north of Reno, land formerly known as Loyalton Ranch. The property will now be known as the WélmeltiɁ Preserve and will be held by the tribe’s Waší·šiw Land Trust.
Tribal leaders and conservation partners said the acquisition restores ecologically significant Washoe homelands to tribal ownership and represents a major step toward addressing generations of displacement.
“The return of this land is deeply meaningful for our people,” said Chairman Serrell Smokey of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. “These lands are part of who we are and have been stewarded by the Washoe people since time immemorial.”
The Waší·šiw Land Trust was established by the Washoe Tribal Council in 2025 to accelerate the repatriation of ancestral lands across the tribe’s traditional Sierra Nevada territory. Tribal leaders said the purchase is intended to support long-term cultural preservation, ecological stewardship and healing from historical trauma.
The acquisition was supported by a coalition of conservation organizations and public partners, including the Northern Sierra Partnership, the Feather River Land Trust and the California Wildlife Conservation Board.
“This project demonstrates what is possible when conservation and tribal leadership move forward together,” said Lucy Blake, president of the Northern Sierra Partnership.
The land encompasses forests, meadows and wildlife habitat considered critical to regional ecological health. Partners said tribal ownership will ensure the area is managed using traditional knowledge alongside modern conservation practices.
“This return is about more than acreage,” said Corey Pargee, executive director of the Feather River Land Trust. “It’s about restoring stewardship to the people who have cared for this landscape for thousands of years.”
Jennifer Norris, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board, said the project reflects growing recognition of tribes as essential leaders in conservation.
Tribal officials said additional details about the acquisition and future plans for the WélmeltiɁ Preserve will be released following the announcement.
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