Yolo supervisors mark 10th anniversary of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, highlight tribal co-stewardship

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors on July 8 recognized the 10th anniversary of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and celebrated collaborative conservation efforts and recent federal expansion and co-stewardship agreements.

Supervisor Frerichs recalled the monument’s original establishment by presidential proclamation on July 10, 2015, and its expansion in 2024. He highlighted the monument’s 344,000 acres of habitat, and the “groundbreaking co-stewardship agreement between Yocha Dihi Wintun Nation, [local tribal partners] and the Bureau of Land Management.”

Speakers at the dais included Sandy Schubert, executive director of Tuleomi, who thanked the board and community for support across many years and credited local advocates, scientists and tribal leaders for the monument’s creation and expansion. Ricardo Ramirez, political research analyst for Yocha Dihi Wintun Nation, said the land is part of the tribe’s ancestral homeland and expressed appreciation for the county’s recognition.

Public commenter Bob Schneider earlier in the meeting had thanked the board for supporting the monument and praised the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service staff for stewardship. The board presented a resolution and invited tribal and organizational leaders to join a photo at the dais before returning to public comment.

Why it matters: Supervisors framed the resolution as recognition of natural and cultural resources, regional collaborations, and economic benefits from recreation and tourism while emphasizing tribal leadership in conservation and management.

Next steps: The county’s resolution is honorary and recognizes local and tribal partners; no funding or regulatory changes were proposed at the meeting.