TCBP Grantee Profile: Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of Trinidad Rancheria
Overview
Award Amount: $244,500
Region: North Coast
Focus Areas:
- Co-management of coastal environment and resources
- Education and outreach, specifically formation of a Science Advisory Board
About the Tribe
Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of Trinidad Rancheria’s cultural identity is deeply intertwined with the land and marine resources within their ancestral territory; the Tribe is one of three California coastal Tribes collaboratively stewarding approximately 700 square miles of designated Indigenous Marine Stewardship Area (IMSA). Trinidad Rancheria’s mission focuses on preserving cultural heritage, enhancing quality of life and self-sufficiency, maintaining Tribal sovereignty, fostering positive partnerships, and protecting the environment. The Tribe’s vision is co-managing the ancestral coastal environment and its resources alongside Native Nations and U.S. governments and ensuring the sustainability and resilience of local ecosystems and communities, including those outside the Tribal community.
Project Plans
Trinidad Rancheria indicated the Tribal Capacity Building Program is crucial for the Tribe—especially as their Climate Program is in its first year—as it is imperative to develop Tribal staff capacity, secure funding, and build strong partnerships to ensure the long-term success of their Climate Program. The Tribe’s proposed project will build off research and a draft framework developed in 2018 in an effort to begin the process of expanding their Environmental Department. With increased capacity, Trinidad Rancheria will be able to continue their planning efforts, engage with the Tribal community and other key community leaders, and develop a data-driven, community-led climate adaptation plan. The Program will directly support the following capacity needs: conduct strategic planning for the Tribe’s Climate Program; strengthen existing relationships and build new trust-centered partnerships to facilitate the successful implementation of programs and plans; and engage the Trinidad Rancheria Community in program development where relationship-building and engagement efforts will lead to the establishment of a Science Advisory Board.
Site Visit
The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria hosted a site visit in Trinidad, CA, beginning with a presentation on the Tribe’s history, current priorities, accomplishments, and long-term vision, followed by breakout discussions focused on housing, climate resilience, infrastructure, and funding/fiscal needs. The site tour highlighted Tribal housing and development priorities; transportation challenges, including unstable roads, limited redundant ingress and egress, fragmented Tribal parcels, and proposed U.S. 101 access improvements; the Demonstration Forest, which the Tribe is working to acquire with support from SGC’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) program for long-term eco-cultural stewardship; and the Trinidad Harbor and Pier, where the Tribe is advancing marine, climate resilience, and working waterfront projects toward its goal of establishing the first Tribally owned harbor district in California
Our Tribal Capacity Building Program partnership has been incredibly meaningful for us … it’s allowed us to build lasting staff capacity in our new Climate Resiliency Program and also to strengthen the climate focus in each of our other programs in the Natural Resources Department.
Contact Information
Jessica Gravelle, Marine and Climate Resiliency Manager, Trinidad Rancheria
jgravelle@trinidadrancheria.com
Learn more about Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of Trinidad Rancheria.
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