Mono Lake Kootzaduka'a Tribe of California and Nevada and California State Parks Sign Memorandum of Understanding
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Kaytlen Jackson
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California State Parks
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Back row left to Right: California State Parks Northern Division Chief Greg Martin, State Parks Sierra District Superintendent Rich Adams, Tribal Elder Dean Tonenna, Vice Chair Angela Eddy, and Tribal Secretary Barbara Coons. Front row left to right: State Parks Director Armando Quintero and Kootzaduka’a Tribal Chair Charlotte Lange. Photo from California State Parks.
NEAR MONO LAKE TUFA STATE NATURAL RESERVE — California State Parks and the Mono Lake Kootzaduka'a Tribe of California and Nevada (Kootzaduka'a) gathered on Aug. 29 on the shore of Mono Lake to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize a relationship to promote successful consultation, collaboration, and co-stewardship for the mutual benefit of the Kootzaduka'a and State Parks. State Parks manages two State Park units located within the traditional homelands of the Kootzaduka’a people – Bodie State Historic Park (SHP) and Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve (SNR).
Tribal Chair Charlotte Lange at the signing event reflected that, “My Grandfather told me to always take care of the land and take care of the water. We are grateful we are partnering with State Parks to protect our tribal lands.”
“These MOUs have created a blossoming of collaboration,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said at the signing, noting this is State Parks’ 16th MOU with a California Native American tribe. "this MOU will facilitate the return of Native language, tribal members being able to gather their traditional materials, and the creation of a seed bank to be able to propagate California native plants to restore our ecosystems."
"This MOU is the culmination of months of hard work and planning between State Parks and the Kootzaduka'a Tribe," said Scott Green, Sierra District Coordinating Tribal Liaison. "It reflects our shared commitment to stewardship of the land."
California Native Americans have stewarded the lands, airs, and water of what is known today as California since time immemorial and have a unique connection to the environment and the natural, cultural, and historical resources. This MOU provides for access and traditional gathering for all Kootzaduka’a tribal members as well as facilitates State Parks working with the Kootzaduka’a within their traditional homelands to better care for natural, cultural, and historical resources at Mono Lake Tufa SNR, and cooperate on the protection of cultural resources and interpretation at Bodie SHP, a focus of State Park’s Reexamining Our Past Initiative.
“This MOU helps California reach the goal of meaningful and durable Tribal Stewardship over at least 7.5 million acres of land and coastal waters by removing barriers members of the Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe face accessing State Parks lands, pursuant to the California Natural Resource Agency’s Tribal Stewardship Policy, shared California Natural Resources Agency Deputy Secretary of Tribal Affairs Geneva E. B. Thompson at the event.
This MOU fosters a shared stewardship approach and will introduce Traditional Management Practices (TMPs) based on Kootzaduka'a priorities and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to the management of units of the California State Park System within the Sierra District. The Kootzaduka'a Tribe and State Parks recognize that a collaborative approach will facilitate the management and preservation of cultural, tribal, and natural resources.
Top left: Tribal Elder Dean Tonenna shares information on a tour of Bodie State Historic Park. Top right: State Parks Director Armando Quintero and Kootzaduka’a Tribal Chair Charlotte Lange. Bottom left: CNRA Deputy Secretary of Tribal Affairs Geneva E.B. Thompson addresses the gathering. Bottom right: Sierra District Coordinating Tribal Liaison, Scott Green welcomes Parks staff, Kootzaduka’a Tribe and attendees to the MOU signing ceremony.
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