A Historic Moment for the Washoe People
© Elizabeth Carmel
Celebrating the Return of a Vast Wild Landscape
We are excited to announce that on February 10th, 2026, the Waší·šiw Land Trust acquired 10,274 acres in the homelands of the wélmeltiɁ (Northern Washoe people). We have named our new property the WélmeltiɁ Preserve. This is a historic and long-awaited moment for our people – the return to Washoe ownership and care of land our ancestors stewarded for thousands of years.
Play the audio files to hear the pronunciation of these words.
Mule deer, Norman Williams
Pronghorn © Andrew Wright/Lighthawk Photo
Long Valley © Elizabeth Carmel
The preserve is vast and diverse, rising from sagebrush scrub and grasslands in the east to conifer forests, aspen groves and mountain meadows in the uplands to pinyon pines, rocky crags, springs and creeks in the west.
WélmeltiɁ Preserve © Elizabeth Carmel
Pronghorn, mule deer, mountain lions, and gray wolves all move through this land, as they have for thousands of years. Keeping the habitat healthy for animals is key to sustaining the entire ecosystem.
Gray wolf, Eveline Larrucea
WélmeltiɁ Preserve © Elizabeth Carmel
The Land Is Calling Us Back
This land is the first of many we hope to return to the care of the Washoe people. (See project map.) In our Northern homelands alone, we hope to expand our land ownership to more than 20,000 acres in the coming years. Lack of management has scarred the lands, from wildfire to water erosion. Traditional Washoe stewardship practices have not been present. The land is calling us back and we are answering her call.
Washoe women grinding acorns in the WélmeltiɁ Preserve (1915), Milton Gottardi Museum
WélmeltiɁ Preserve © Elizabeth Carmel
What This Land Means to Our People
Deep Thanks
We would like to express deep thanks to the Feather River Land Trust and the Northern Sierra Partnership for working with us over the past four years to arrive at this important moment. And we would like to thank California’s Wildlife Conservation Board and other generous supporters for helping us acquire this spectacular land.
West side of WélmeltiɁ Preserve © Elizabeth Carmel
Join Us
We need your help. Whether you are a member of our tribe or simply a friend, you have an important role to play. Working together, we can start to heal the deep pain created by the forced displacement of the Washoe people from so much of our homeland. Your leadership in supporting the return of lands to tribal ownership and stewardship is a powerful act of respect and cultural justice.