The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians are reclaiming 6.82 acres of ancestral land known as Rocky Shores south of Yachats, Oregon, in a transaction set to finalize within days, klcc.org reported. The purchase price for the property is $120,000, with $55,000 contributed by Joanne Kittel’s conservation nonprofit View the Future, alongside backing from the McKenzie River Trust and the Nature Conservancy.
Community partners secure autonomous management of Rocky Shores
The acquisition of the 6.82-acre Rocky Shores parcel stems from collaborative negotiations between community land trusts, conservation organizations, and tribal representatives. Eli Tome, conservation director for the McKenzie River Trust, explained that the group acted as an intermediary to secure flexible funding without government encumbrances or title restrictions. This structure ensures the Siletz tribe maintains autonomous management decisions over the property in perpetuity. Joanne Kittel, founder of View the Future, noted that the parcel had been on her organization’s radar for 17 years due to its critical ecological and coastal conservation values.
Federal actions diminished 1855 treaty reservation boundaries
The return of Rocky Shores represents a fraction of the historical 100-mile central Oregon coast reservation established under an 1855 treaty that was subsequently diminished by federal actions. CTSI Natural Resources Director Angela Sondenaa stated that treaty promises were broken as the land transitioned into private ownership. Tribal council member and historian Robert Kentta noted that the reservation boundaries were repeatedly reduced through uncompensated federal actions in the 19th century, stripping away lands that held deep historical significance for Siletz ancestors.
Ecosystem Characteristics and Public Access Restrictions
Rocky Shores features a pristine, biodiverse environment encompassing a freshwater stream, ferns, mosses, mushrooms, and coastal salal species that support local restoration efforts for kelp and sea otters.
Broader Oregon Tribal Land Recoveries
The Rocky Shores transfer follows a separate, larger land return in October 2024, when the Siletz Tribe regained ownership of 27 acres at Cape Foulweather on the central Oregon coast, content.govdelivery.com reported. That acquisition was funded by a $2.01 million federal grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and involved coordination with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development and local county partners.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rocky Shores
Who funded the purchase of the 6.82-acre parcel?
The property was appraised and purchased for $120,000, with View the Future contributing $55,000 and additional support provided by the McKenzie River Trust and the Nature Conservancy.
How does this transaction fit into the broader Land Back movement?
The transfer utilizes flexible funding and a conservation intermediary—the McKenzie River Trust—to return title ownership directly to the Siletz tribe free of government oversight, fulfilling long-standing tribal goals of reestablishing stewardship over ancestral homelands.
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