As my state burns I am reminded of how important it is to listen to Native voices, especially on the topic of conservation. A couple weeks back I (virtually) attended a compelling program called Protecting Sacred Landscapes from Medicine Lake to Juristac, which included presentations from Chairman Valentin Lopez of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Morning Star Gali of the Pit River Tribe, Green Foothills Legislative Advocacy Director Alice Kaufman, and Dr. Stuart Weiss, Chief Scientist at Creekside Center for Earth Observation.
- I learned about the threat to Medicine Lake from geothermal industrial development and the threat to Juristac from a proposed sand and gravel mine, as well as the cultural and ecological importance of these sacred landscapes.
- A video recording of the event is now available on the Protect Juristac website, alongside a text recap and resources list.
- Sign the Petition to Protect Juristac
- Write a letter to the County of Santa Clara on behalf of yourself or your organization, expressing your opposition to the proposed mining project at Juristac. For County email addresses and instructions, visit the ‘How to Help’ page of the Protect Juristac website.
- Use the Teaching Juristac curriculum.
- Pass a resolution at your school in support of Juristac. Protect Juristac has a toolkit with everything you will need. Please contact [email protected]
- Reach out to your church congregation or faith community about supporting the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band’s efforts to protect Juristac, the tribe’s most sacred spiritual site. Email [email protected] to request outreach resources or support.
- Contribute artwork to the campaign for Juristac! Email [email protected] for more information.
- Contact your local elected officials and ask them to support the preservation of Juristac. If you live in the Bay Area, help Protect Juristac pass a resolution through your town’s city council calling for the protection of Juristac, as Morgan Hill and Santa Cruz have done.
- Donate here to support legal and campaign costs for Juristac.
- Follow and share posts from the Protect Juristac Instagram and Facebook page. Create your own posts tagging @protectjuristac. You can also follow @greenfoothills on Facebook for updates on Juristac and other threatened wild places.