The Yurok Tribe

The freshly laid trails introduce a new segment of the California Coastal Trail and connect with RNSP, providing easy access to some of California’s most prolific old-growth coast redwood stands, including the popular Lady Bird Johnson Grove. ‘O Rew is now an ideal place to spend quality time with family and friends, while learning about the Yurok Tribe’s connection to this land. The Yurok Tribe will be hosting public and private events and programs at ‘O Rew for the tribal membership, local communities and the visiting public.

 

In the near future, the Yurok Tribe aims to construct a cultural center further highlighting the distinct history and living culture of the Tribe and the extraordinary natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the region. The Yurok Tribe also plans to build a traditional village on the site, including plank houses and a sweat house.

 

Restoring ‘O Rew

Save the Redwoods League purchased the property in 2013 with the intent of restoring a severely degraded section of Prairie Creek and expanding recreational access and connectivity in the area. It was covered by 20 acres of asphalt from a former lumber mill and an 80-acre cattle pasture. The stream channel was reduced to a trench flanked by invasive plants. In 2021, after more than five years of collaborative planning and design, Save the Redwoods, the Yurok Tribe, California Trout and numerous other local agencies, professionals and partners began a five-year restoration of Prairie Creek and construction of the Gateway.

 

“When the mill operated on this property, it was a source of conflict for the Yurok people. Now, it is a point of pride and a place where our people feel welcome,” said Yurok Tribal Heritage Preservation Officer Rosie Clayburn Katri. “I’m really excited about what this property will look like after a decade of Indigenous land management.

 

”The ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project presents one of the very few opportunities in rural Northern California to see the evolution of a large-scale stream restoration project. Over five years, the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation and Yurok Fisheries Department built a one-mile-long braided channel, two off-channel ponds, 20 acres of wetlands and 20 acres of upland habitat designed by more than a dozen groups with restoration expertise. The Yurok Revegetation Crew planted nearly a half-million native seedlings in the ground, spanning 50 species, including redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) and many other native plants to facilitate the restoration of highly productive fish and wildlife habitat. As the native plants and trees mature, the stream will appear as though it had never been disturbed.

 

Prior to attempted colonization, North Coast streams were filled with downed trees. Beavers, natural tree mortality and heavy storms constantly dropped wood into the creeks, which in turn created dynamic habitat types required for peak fish production. The restoration crew installed numerous large wood features in the stream. The whole logs, coupled with the creek’s hydraulic force, create deep pools, scour fine sediment, improve water quality, slow flows, recharge underground aquifers and create cover for baby fish.

 

Hundreds of endangered juvenile coho salmon, along with western pond turtles and great blue herons, are already using habitat created early in the project. The restoration site is also attracting bears, elk, deer, condors, waterfowl, songbirds, wading birds, raptors and riparian predators such as belted kingfishers, an important indicator of good water quality.

 

About ‘O Rew

During the mid-1800s, there was an attempt to forcibly remove Yurok people from their homeland, to expedite exploitation of the region’s natural resources, such as salmon and old-growth coast redwood trees, many of which were milled at the ‘O Rew property. Throughout this devastating period, the Tribe lost more than 90 percent of its land, including ‘O Rew and nearby Owr-rekw. For decades, the ‘O Rew property served as a stark reminder of this tumultuous era. However, it is now a place where Yurok people can reconnect with the land and feel at home for the first time in generations.

 

Before Save the Redwoods League purchased and conserved the site in 2013, for more than 50 years, it operated as a lumber mill. While the mill was in operation, large portions of the land were paved over, and much of the natural channel and floodplain of Prairie Creek was buried. For more than 10 years, Save the Redwoods partnered with accomplished restoration experts, including the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation and Fisheries Department and California Trout, to plan and undertake a full restoration of a critical stretch of Prairie Creek on the site for the benefit of federally listed coho salmon and steelhead.The Yurok Tribe’s participation in the ‘O Rew Project is part of a long-term effort to reclaim and restore culturally important landscapes across its ancestral territory.

​

California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said, “The Yurok Tribe has cared for these lands since time immemorial, and today's milestone honors that enduring relationship while opening a new chapter of stewardship for future generations. The return of 'O Rew is a powerful example of what's possible when conservation is guided by tribal leadership, and California is proud to support this work alongside the Yurok Tribe and Save the Redwoods League. We hope this serves as a model for how partnership can strengthen both people and the places we cherish.

 

"The ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project was funded by the following: Save the Redwoods League, California State Coastal Conservancy, California Wildlife Conservation Board, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, California Ocean Protection Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Park Foundation and The Cantus Foundation. California Trout and numerous local professionals and partners have provided essential expertise in the planning and implementation of the project. #LandBack #indigenous #salmon #restoration #justice

​

Yurok Cultural Resources Department Director Rosie Clayburn Katri played a pivotal role in this project. Photo by Amy Kumler, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League