The Mojave Desert Land Trust acknowledges that the land where our headquarters is located is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Maara’yam, commonly referred to as the Serrano people. We honor their presence and recognize their contributions since time immemorial as the first stewards of this land. We also acknowledge that the Cahuilla and Chemehuevi peoples, as well as European settlers, intersected in these spaces. Our histories and stories are intertwined in this space, and by sharing them in culturally appropriate ways, we hope to honor and celebrate our Indigenous neighbors and partners.
We also acknowledge that the land that we help to preserve is the ancestral land of many tribal communities. We recognize that Native Americans continue to practice traditional lifeways on their sacred ancestral lands throughout the California desert. We would like to acknowledge all the Indigenous peoples who have preceded us in preserving the natural, scenic, and cultural resources of these lands.