Tribe, parks foundation sign agreement

Sierra State Parks Foundation announced a new agreement between the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California and the Sierra District of California State Parks.

Chairman of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California Serrell Smokey and California State Parks Director Armando Quintero signed a new memorandum of understanding between the Sierra District and the Tribe at Donner Memorial State Park on Jan. 28. 

This five-year agreement formalizes the government-to-government relationship between the two entities, establishes a protocol for open discussions, and outlines the responsibilities of State Parks and the Tribe to promote successful cooperation, co-management, and collaboration for the mutual benefit of the Washoe Tribe and State Parks.

The memo introduces traditional management practices and ecological knowledge to the management of 12 state parks in the Washoe people’s traditional homeland. 

The 12 Sierra District state park units included are Burton Creek State Park, Cascade Creek Unit, D.L. Bliss SP, Donner Memorial SP, Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point SP, Emerald Bay SP, Grover Hot Springs SP, Kings Beach State Recreation Area, Lake Valley SRA, Tahoe SRA, Ward Creek Unit, and Washoe Meadows SP. 

“The Sierra District and the Sierra State Parks Foundation look forward to working together with the Washoe Tribe as good stewards of the land and providing memorable experiences to future generations,” officials said.

Woodfords Community Tribal Chairman, Irvin Jim, spoke of how working with his late mother, Washoe elder Linda Shoshone, as a Tribal monitor in California State Parks, allowed him to immerse himself in the land and water where his people originated. 

“It is a beautiful thing for this to happen, my mother is smiling,” Jim said.

Smokey said the agreement can serve as a template for other tribes to access their lands across the nation.