California Native American tribes are the original stewards of California since time immemorial, conserving and maintaining a balanced environment. As diverse as Native perspectives are, the overall Native worldview and beliefs view all things in balance with each other, intrinsically connected spiritually, culturally, and ecologically. Many of the environmental challenges we face today trace back to the introduction of diseases, forcible removal of tribal members from their lands, and state sanctioned genocide. Colonization disrupted tribal peoples’ relationships to the land, plants, and animal species that were and still are central to their worldview and spiritual beliefs. California has the largest Native American population in the United States, with approximately 109 federally recognized Indian tribes in California, including several tribes with lands that cross state boundaries, and approximately 60 non-federally recognized tribes identified by the Native American Heritage Commission for the protection and assessment of cultural resources . There are also tribes currently seeking federal recognition.
CDFW is committed to conserve, protect, and manage the state's natural resources in consultation with California Native American tribes. It is the responsibility of CDFW staff to communicate, engage and collaborate with California tribes early and often to ensure tribal perspectives and input are incorporated throughout the process. CDFW created the Office of Tribal Affairs to provide resources, support, and assist staff both across the state and the various statewide programs; and properly and consistently communicate and engage with tribes.
As a State agency whose mission is "to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public", and manages over one million acres of public land across the state and the natural resources therein that were historically tribal lands and resources, it's CDFW's responsibility to respect that legacy and incorporate tribes early and often when policies and projects may affect tribal interests. In doing so, relationships will tribes will be strengthened by this more meaningful collaborative approach of how to manage these resources together.