The Amah Mutsun Land Trust (AMLT) has announced that by the end of 2025 they will acquire a 50-acre property near the intersection of Highways 129 and 101 in San Juan Bautista, marking the first time the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band (AMTB) has regained full access rights to land in its traditional territory since their forced removal over 225 years ago.

The property, renamed tooromakma hinse nii, is part of the greater Juristac landscape, a critical cultural and sacred space for the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. The name, “pronounced toe row mock ma hēēn say knee”, means “bobcats wander here” and honors the Amah Mutsun's bobcat relatives who inhabit the landscape. It is part of a critical wildlife corridor with access to the headwaters of the Pajaro River. While it is a relatively small property, it provides an essential safe passage for wildlife from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Gabilan Range in the south and the Diablo Range in the east.

The Amah Mutsun community has been working for many years to protect the broader Juristac landscape through the Protect Juristac campaign. This campaign has obtained thousands of signatures and letters in opposition to the proposed Sargent Quarry, which would negatively impact over 400 acres of sacred land. The acquisition of these 50 acres is the first important step in what is hoped to be continued success in protecting and restoring Juristac.

Amah Mutsun Land Trust Acquires First Property in Ancestral Territory

Related Features: Hundreds Rally for Protection of Sacred Tribal Land from Mining Project | Campaign to Protect Juristac Gains Support of Santa Cruz City Council | Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Fight to Protect One of Their Few Remaining Sacred Lands