Wailaki tribe opposes Great Redwood Trail project in Northern California

Members of the Wailaki tribe in Northern California are protesting the Great Redwood Trail, a 307-mile nature path planned to stretch from the San Francisco Bay to Humboldt Bay. Tribal members, including Perry Lincoln, state that the project would allow tourists to walk directly over ancestral graves.

The project, which is currently 40% complete, was reportedly exempted from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This exemption means the project was not required to undergo the standard public agency notification and consultation process with native tribes regarding impacts on their lands.

While local politicians and environmental groups support the trail for its potential to boost small-town economies and provide ecological restoration, the Wailaki tribe expressed feeling blindsided by the development. The trail is being constructed along the Eel River and the route of the former Northwestern Pacific Railroad.