Big Sur Land Trust Transfers 84-Acre Wetland Parcel to Ohlone Tribe

The Big Sur Land Trust, which purchased the 84-acre Hiss Parcel in 2024 for $2.75 million, has now conveyed the property to the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN). Situated on the south side of Highway 68 opposite the Monterey Regional Airport, the land includes wetlands and forms a crucial link between Fort Ord National Monument and Jacks Peak County Park, protecting part of the Canyon Del Rey watershed. OCEN, a tribe without a federally recognized reservation, has inhabited Monterey County for millennia.

Trust officials highlighted that the transfer blocks potential development and preserves habitats frequented by deer, coyotes and black bears. The parcel’s stewardship will be managed by OCEN, marking the tribe’s first acquisition of land in the Monterey area. Additional coastal lands in Mendocino County were recently returned to a nonprofit run by three local Pomo tribes.