Jeanine Pfeiffer

As the endangered Clear Lake hitch quickly disappears, tribal members are begging for agencies like the California Fish and Game Commission to intervene. Now, it looks like conservation efforts might actually be possible — as well as getting an emergency listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Native Californian tribes never "lost" their tribal languages. In fact, they've tried desperately to preserve them and bring them back into more widespread use — despite attempts by Western culture to suppress them. Here's a look at the progress some tribal groups have made in bringing Indigenous languages out of dormancy.

Recent wildfires in Sequoia National Park have highlighted the need for leadership from local tribes, like the Tule River Tribe of California, to be involved in firefighting efforts to protect delicate ecology and significant historic and cultural sites.

State agencies' lack of familiarity with Native lands has often led to interference with tribal evacuation efforts and unnecessary destruction of culturally sensitive habitat. To address the significant gaps between tribal needs and available assistance, even the smallest tribes do whatever it takes to care for their members and support other tribes.

Harry Williams recovered knowledge of his tribe’s traditional irrigation networks and water practices, strengthening the Paiute’s claims for water rights in Owens Valley. His activism on behalf of his people and their homelands left an impact on water management in the region.