Wailaki Tribe Submits Resolution to Oppose the Great Redwood Trail

Press release from the White Lily Clan of the Wailaki:

The California Coastal Conservancy

Resolution To Oppose the Great Redwood Trail  

WHEREAS, the Wailaki Tribe, White Lily Clan of Wailaki, as a constituted and functioning government, has  determined that a significant portion of the Great Redwood Trail is proposed to be developed through culturally and ecologically sensitive Wailaki Ancestral Land that is of great historical and cultural significance to the Wailaki people.  

WHEREAS, The Great Redwood Trail poses a great threat to the Eel River Canyon Preserve, The Grand Canyon of the Eel River which has been designated as a National Wild and Scenic River, and an incalculable number of Native American, Sacred and Sensitive Sites; both documented and undocumented. Many of these sacred sites have already been desecrated by the general public, including irreplaceable ancient petroglyphs which are thousands of years old, which have documented impairment and degradation from recent and ongoing human vandalism.  

WHEREAS, the work of decommissioning the existing rail lines poses a direct and significant threat to the Natural Wild and Scenic nature of the Eel River. This threat results from the work that will be performed on the many miles of geologically unstable landscape that lies directly above the Eel River. This includes the failing infrastructure of rail lines, tunnels, bridges, and trestles.  

WHEREAS, the proposed project represents a significant, ongoing, long-term impairment to documented sensitive ecological and cultural resources. The feasibility of a successful, long-term maintenance and management program with the sufficient monetary and human resources necessary to monitor and mitigate the human impairment upon the landscape in perpetuity; is predictably unreasonable to expect. The proposed and expended resources will never adequately address the many miles of impairment that will be perpetually caused by a new and innumerable amount of human traffic in these sensitive areas.  

WHEREAS, the State of California has neglected to remediate land to the Wailaki people, in recognition of the past  loss of this land, and to restore valuable portions of this former asset, to a free and independent indigenous people  living in their ancestral land, but has instead, chosen the path of further conflict and hardship by drawing people  from all over the world, to once again trample over these First Peoples; their sacred lands and their sacred sites  without first consulting the Wailaki Tribe.  

BE IT RESOLVED, that these members of the Wailaki Tribe, White Lily Band of Wailaki, meeting on the 29th day of April, 2023, as a Duly Constitued Tribal Government do vigorously oppose all those parts of the proposed Great Redwood Trail that pass through Wailaki Ancestral Land and to cultivate and develop a coordinated partnership of opposition throughout all phases of project development, permitting, public comment and in all forms of media.  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these members of the Wailaki Tribe, White Lily Band of Wailaki seek a compatible and peaceful government to government relationship with the people of the State of California and their representatives. We seek a relationship that exists in mutual respect, dignity, and good faith work toward a future filled with a benefit for all people. It is acknowledged that we share the stewardship and protection of these great natural resources and are willing to embrace your respectful and good faith partnership in conservation and protection of them.  

Respectfully,  

[Dorothy Hoaglin, Chairperson 

Markida Slaughter, Secretary]

 

Cc  

The Great Redwood Trail Agency 

The California Coastal Conservancy 

Senator Mike McGuire  

Governor Gavin Newsom