Organization
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California
Not yet reviewed by this nation. What follows comes from public records and research. It does not speak for the nation.
The Waší·šiw Land Trust, a Washoe-led nonprofit, took ownership of 10,274 acres, the WélmeltiɁ Preserve, in February 2026 for the Washoe Tribe.
- Kind
- Tribal government
- Native-led
- tribal-government
- Works with
- Washoe (Wa She Shu)
- Region
- Lake Tahoe / Northern Sierra Nevada, CA and NV
- Focus
- WélmeltiɁ Preserve (10,274 acres), held by the Waší·šiw Land Trust (tribal)
- Vetting notes
- Native News Online 2/10/2026. Chairman Serrell Smokey. Partners: Northern Sierra Partnership, Feather River Land Trust, California Wildlife Conservation Board.
What happened
The land return comes from partner and news accounts.
On February 11, 2026, the Northern Sierra Partnership announced the return of 10,274 acres in the Northern Sierra to the ownership and care of the Washoe people. The land, formerly Loyalton Ranch, is northeast of Lake Tahoe and about 20 miles north of Reno. It is now the WélmeltiɁ Preserve, owned by the Waší·šiw Land Trust, which the Partnership describes as a Washoe-led nonprofit dedicated to returning ancestral lands to the Washoe People of Nevada and California.
The Partnership says it and the Feather River Land Trust began working with the Tribe in 2021 and had the property under contract in late 2023. It reports $6.9 million raised, including $5.5 million in public funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board and $1.4 million in private donations. KOLO-TV reported on April 8, 2026 that the Waší·šiw Land Trust completed the purchase and called it the largest tribal land return ever completed in the Sierra Nevada.
Washoe Tribe Chairman Serrell Smokey is quoted saying the land purchase is "good medicine for our people." The land is owned by the land trust, which is separate from the Tribe's government.
Good to know. The preserve is owned by the Waší·šiw Land Trust, a Washoe-led nonprofit, not by the Tribe's government. The $6.9 million is the amount raised so far.
Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error
What the sources say, and how this was checked
Supported by the sources below; some details rest on one source.
the return of 10,274 acres in the Northern Sierra to the ownership and care of the Washoe people
Four-year Partnership with Washoe Tribe Results in Largest Indigenous Land Return in Sierra HistoryThe WélmeltiɁ Preserve is now owned by the Waší·šiw Land Trust, a Washoe-led nonprofit
Four-year Partnership with Washoe Tribe Results in Largest Indigenous Land Return in Sierra HistoryThis includes $5.5 million in public funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board and $1.4 million in donations from private funders
Four-year Partnership with Washoe Tribe Results in Largest Indigenous Land Return in Sierra HistoryThe Wasi-siw Land Trust completed the purchase.
Washoe Tribe secures ancestral land (KOLO)
Research notes. The Tribe's own site could not be read, so its published land and sovereignty programs are not described. The preserve is owned by the Waší·šiw Land Trust, not the Tribe's government. Funding and wording differ among outlets, and the Partnership's $6.9 million is what was raised so far. Funding source figures are the Partnership's.
We have not verified this organization well enough to link to it. See our donation integrity policy.
Connections
Links marked “suggested” were matched automatically by name or date and have not yet been reviewed by a person.
Works in 2
- Californiasuggested
- Nevadasuggested
Governing body of 1
Supports the return of 1
Sources
No source is linked to this record yet. That is a gap we are working to close.
The record’s fields
- Registry
- Sovereign government (no EIN needed); status per Federal Register list not checked this session
- Kind
- Organization
- Confidence
- Medium
- Nation review
- Not yet reviewed by this nation