Monterey County, California | June 29, 2026: In a landmark act of conservation, partnership, and restorative justice, Big Sur Land Trust today proudly and humbly celebrates the return of 84 acres of ancestral homeland to the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN). The property, formally known as the Hiss Parcel, lies along the south side of Highway 68 near Canyon Del Rey Creek and represents a significant step toward restoring Indigenous stewardship of lands that have sustained Native peoples for countless generations.
The land return marks the culmination of years of collaboration and shared vision between Big Sur Land Trust and OCEN. Acquired by Big Sur Land Trust in 2024 to protect its significant ecological and cultural values, the property is now being transferred to OCEN, ensuring that this ancestral homeland will once again be cared for by the descendants of those who have maintained a deep and enduring relationship with it since time immemorial.
“This is one of the most meaningful and honorable moments in the history of Big Sur Land Trust,” said Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, President and CEO of Big Sur Land Trust. “Today is about much more than land conservation. It is about respect, relationship, healing, and the recognition that Indigenous peoples have been the original stewards of these lands for thousands of years. We are deeply honored to stand alongside the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation as they reclaim stewardship of their ancestral homeland and continue the cultural traditions, ecological knowledge, and care that have shaped this landscape for generations.”
The 84-acre property contains a rich mosaic of wetlands, riparian habitat, perennial and annual grasslands, coast live oak woodlands, maritime chaparral, and Monterey Pine Forest. It also encompasses portions of Canyon Del Rey Creek and provides critical habitat connectivity within a larger wildlife corridor that links protected lands throughout Monterey County. The property’s wetlands improve water quality, reduce downstream flooding, support biodiversity, and contribute to climate resilience through carbon sequestration and ecosystem restoration.
For OCEN, however, the significance of this land extends far beyond its ecological value.
“The process of returning and protecting Indigenous Peoples land return called ‘LAND BACK’ has become a reality for Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation,” said Louise J. Miranda Ramirez, Tribal Chairwoman of OCEN, also known as the Monterey Band of Monterey at the Sur Rancheria. “Working with Big Sur Land Trust for more than sixteen years, the process has finally become a reality. OCEN is the legal tribal government for 600 Tribal Members of Esselen, Carmeleno, Rumsen, Chalon, Soledad Mission, San Carlos Mission descent of Monterey County. It is our intent and hope to educate our people and the community about our culture, language, and history. Having land provides us the opportunity to educate and return Indigenous plants and food. There are many people to thank, Big Sur Land Trust, California State Coastal Conservancy, California Council of Land Trusts, California Natural Resources Agency and the private trusts and foundations supporting Indigenous People. Let Ka Lai (We Are Here).”
Today’s transfer creates opportunities for cultural revitalization, intergenerational learning, ecological restoration, and the continuation of Indigenous stewardship practices that have shaped the region’s landscapes for millennia.
Big Sur Land Trust extends its deepest gratitude to the many partners whose vision and support made both the protection and eventual return of this land possible. Special thanks to The Arthur L. and Elaine V. Johnson Foundation, the Barnet J. Segal Charitable Trust, The California Council of Land Trusts, and the California State Coastal Conservancy, all of whom believed in a future where conservation and Indigenous land return could advance hand in hand.
This achievement demonstrates a growing movement across California and the nation to recognize that lasting conservation outcomes are strengthened through partnerships with Indigenous communities and by supporting the return of ancestral lands to Native stewardship. It is also aligned with the recently released Tribal Stewardship Policy from the California Natural Resources Agency.
Located within a corridor of protected landscapes that includes Fort Ord National Monument, the Joyce Stevens Monterey Pine Preserve, Jacks Peak County Park, and Palo Corona Regional Park, the property will continue to contribute to regional conservation goals while serving as a place of cultural renewal and belonging for the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation.
With the endorsement of the California State Coastal Conservancy, this land return demonstrates that conservation and Indigenous stewardship can advance together. The property’s ecological values will remain protected, and while not every conserved property is suited for tribal land return, Big Sur Land Trust carefully considers a range of stewardship partners including tribal nations, state agencies, and conservation organizations to ensure each landscape is placed in the hands of the appropriate partner(s) to care for it for generations to come.
The land return also advances California’s 30×30 initiative, which seeks to conserve 30 percent of the state’s lands and waters by 2030 while strengthening climate resilience and biodiversity. Yet today’s celebration represents something even greater: the restoration of a relationship between people and place that has endured despite generations of displacement.
“As Big Sur Land Trust reflects on this historic day, we do so with profound gratitude and humility,” said Rachel T. Saunders, Vice President of Conservation for Big Sur Land Trust. “We recognize that the return of ancestral land is not an end point but part of a larger journey toward healing, reconciliation, and a more just future. Today, we celebrate the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation, and honor their ancestors, their resilience, their stewardship, and their future, It is our privilege to witness this homeland return to the people who have always belonged to it.”
About Big Sur Land Trust
Big Sur Land Trust (BSLT) is a nationally accredited land trust and non-profit organization with a mission to conserve our unique Monterey County landscapes, inspire love of land across generations, and promote access to outdoor experiences for all. We see a future where natural landscapes, working lands, urban open spaces and healthy communities are cared for by people who share a love of nature and a deep appreciation for the richness of their diverse cultures. Since 1978, our generous donors and partners have conserved over 45,000 acres throughout Monterey County.
About the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation
The Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN – pronounced “ocean”) is a California Native American Tribal 501(c)3 nonprofit and Tribal organization led by a Tribal Council and has among its principal charitable purposes the protection and enhancement of the lives of all its citizens and Ancestors by protecting the culture, language, history, and traditional practices of the Esselen people. OCEN is a descendant tribal community whose ancestral homelands encompass much of present-day Monterey County and surrounding regions. OCEN is dedicated to preserving and revitalizing its culture, language, traditions, and stewardship of ancestral lands while fostering opportunities for future generations.
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