Traditional Indigenous land

Coast redwood and Douglas-fir landscape
These projects are part of the Montgomery Woods Initiative — a big vision to expand protection around Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve and improve access to its spectacular old-growth grove. Photo by Max Forster (@maxforsterphotography) for Save the Redwoods League.

Montgomery Woods, Weger Ranch, and Atkins Place are within the traditional lands of the Northern Pomo people, who speak the Northern Pomo language. Their lands range from the northwest portion of Clear Lake, extending to the Pacific Ocean, and south of Ten Mile River to south of the Big River. Historically, Pomo people lived in hundreds of small independent groups or bands that were connected by geography, language, and culture. Today, Northern Pomo descendants are citizens of tribal nations throughout Northern California.

Save the Redwoods League acknowledges that Northern Pomo and other Indigenous peoples of California lived on and cared for lands in this region for millennia before being forcibly removed by European American settlers. Despite this, they have retained cultural connections with these lands. The League is nurturing relationships with tribal nations of the region in various ways, including discussions and partnerships around land acquisitions, traditional stewardship, cultural access, and tribal health.