The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria have taken possession of an ecologically rich stretch of West Marin coastline in a major land-back transfer orchestrated by the Western Rivers Conservancy.
The conveyance of the 466-acre Dillon Beach property—a vital habitat for a host of native fish, animal and plant species—was financed by a $3.9 million grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is the first major land-back project that the agency has supported.
“Regaining full ownership and stewardship of Dillon Beach Ranch represents an opportunity for us to reconnect with our ancestral lands and preserve a very important place for future generations,” tribal chairman Greg Sarris said in a statement issued by the agency, the conservancy and the tribe.
The lands include 1.5 miles along the Estero de San Antonio and 1.5 miles of Pacific coast just north of the Oceana Marin subdivision. The estero is a tidal waterway formed by Stemple Creek that is only accessible by boat or kayak.
“This area and surrounding lands are within the ancestral homelands of the Coast Miwok, and our descendants are still present there today,” Mr. Sarris said. “We look forward to working closely with Western Rivers Conservancy and state partners to craft a durable management plan that forever preserves and protects Dillon Beach Ranch, the Estero de San Antonio and the irreplaceable cultural and natural resources they harbor.”
With steep bluffs and rolling headlands, the property is a sanctuary for threatened or endangered species, including the California red-legged frog, the northern tidewater goby and a butterfly known as Myrtle’s silverspot.
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is a sovereign nation and federally recognized tribe comprised of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo Indians. Its aboriginal territory is in Marin and Sonoma Counties.
In 2021, the tribe signed a government-to-government agreement with the National Park Service granting it shared management responsibilities for the Point Reyes National Seashore. The tribe also owns and operates the Graton Resort and Casino on its land just outside Rohnert Park. The Western Rivers Conservancy, which buys land along fragile rivers and streams in the West to permanently conserve habitat for fish and wildlife, has formed land-back partnerships with 16 tribes.
“We’re proud of our work with the Rancheria and other native communities,” Nelson Mathews, the conservancy’s interim president, told the Light. “It’s a great combination of conservation and social justice.”
The property was operated as a cattle ranch for decades until it was purchased in 1999 by the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of St. Antony. The church had hoped to establish a monastery on the property but withdrew its plans after confronting resistance from community members who feared it would open floodgates to development.
The conservancy purchased the property in 2023. “It’s very satisfying to preserve this little chunk of California’s beautiful coast and return it to its original stewards,” said Peter Colby, the conservancy’s California program director who coordinated the conveyance of the property to the tribe.
Graton Rancheria has an easement allowing access to the property, which is not open to the public. The tribe will continue to allow grazing while it works on a long-term management plan.
The land-back movement, which is gaining momentum in California, seeks to address historical injustices by returning ancestral lands to Indigenous peoples. Last year, the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin completed the first Native land return in the county’s history when it purchased a 26-acre parcel in Nicasio.