Indigenous Peoples

Sharaya Souza (Taos Pueblo, Ute and Kiowa) has no first memory of interacting with the land. Not because she wasn’t interacting with it, but because for her, it’s innate.

November 20, 1969. That day marked the beginning of the Occupation of Alcatraz by the Indians of All Tribes, a key milestone in the history of the island, our country, and the broader Native American civil rights movement.

On Nov. 20, 1969,  a group of Native Americans set up camp on Alcatraz Island in nonviolent protest, claiming it as Indian Land under the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868). Eloy Martinez was one of them. 

Park Ranger Lara Volski is relatively new to the National Park Service (NPS), but she’s already made a big impact for Marin Headlands visitors. Working at Point Bonita Lighthouse, the Nike Missile Site, and other locations, Ranger Lara talks about climate resilience and history in unique ways.

In this moment and as we continue forward, it’s important to acknowledge the racist history on these lands so that we can learn from it and overcome it. 

The indigenous Ohlone people were the first to live, steward, and walk in the coastal hills and scrubland of San Mateo County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Read about the legacy of their stewardship and the evolving relationship between indigenous people and the parks.

Each day I spend with my peers at the Parks Conservancy, and with our passionate and vital cast of volunteers, I endeavor to remember the people who shaped, shared and enshrined these lands and waters.

Every summer, Park Stewardship welcomes youth interns who help organize and energize volunteer and visitor programs. They also researched and wrote about the parks’ history and resources. Read on for a fresh look at the history of Sutro Heights.