656 acres of land returned to Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - A swath of land with historic ties to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians was back under the tribe's domain today.   

"The return of these 656 acres in upper Palm Canyon is the restoration of responsibility,'' Tribal Chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reid Milanovich said in a statement. "Since time immemorial, our people have stewarded these mountains and waterways. We are grateful to Friends of the Desert Mountains, the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy and the state of California for their partnership in advancing land conservation through Tribal stewardship."

This land returns strengthens our sovereignty, protects sacred and ecological resources and ensures future generations will continue to benefit from the cultural and environmental legacy of these lands. Conservation is strongest when guided by Tribal leadership rooted in generations of ancestral stewardship,'' Milanovich added.  

The return of unceded land back to the tribe was approved by the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy's board on Nov. 17, 2025 for conservation and protection of cultural resources that sits in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains conservation area. With this new addition, more than 1,200 acres has been returned since 2024. The land is critical to habitat residing in the area, including the peninsular ranges' Desert Bighorn sheep, and the land contains resources vital to wildlife and replenish the aquifer underneath the Coachella Valley.

"Since 1991, our conservancy has worked to put over 100,000 acres of land into conservation, and we couldn't think of a better steward for this parcel than ACBCI,'' CVMC Executive Director Elizabeth King said.   

Additionally, the land return aids in California's 30-by-30 goal, an initiative to conserve 30% of state's land and coastal water by 2030. "Tribal ownership and stewardship of lands is critical to achieving these goals,'' officials said.   

The tribe plans to continue managing the "rugged parcels" as conservations lands.