California’s New Chumash Marine Sanctuary Protects Key Species

The damp cold broke into my bones when the sun disappeared over the Estro Bilphs State Park near the city of Kukos, California. I picked up my way across the ponds, keeping an eye on the hidden octops between the stones. I was on a forgery tour with the Calipffal Organization, learning to collect and prepare the maritime, just like the people of Chumash and Saline who had previously settled in these land for thousands of years.

For the past decade, several indigenous groups across the state have been working to create a safe zone along this part of the Central Coast of California. The idea was first suggested in 2015 by Fred Collins, Chief of the North Chomash Tribal Council, and his daughter, Violet Seage Walker – was now kept alive by the council chairperson – then died in 2021. “My father thought that we should do better for Mother Earth, animals and each other.” It is an honor to advance his legacy. ”

Last September, the Biden administration nominated about 4,4,500 square miles of coastal waters, which extended from San Louis Obespo to the Santa Barbara County’s Gyota coast, which has been described as the country’s first maritime sanctuary. The Chomash Heritage National Marine protects the coast and coast, and travels 60 miles in the Pacific, which protects a variety of plants, such as dense calip forests, and animals, including leopards and horn sharks, blue whales and black boys. Walker said, as important, it “recognizes the field of tribal burial, formal places and spiritually important places.”

Desi -led visits are coming soon. In the meantime, passengers can go to whale eyes with the best day -to -day boat adventures or to rent the Wheel Beach Pedsports, as I did,.

To learn about the Chomash Life, a good first stop is the Santa Ennis Museum and Cultural Center, which was opened last year. Visitors enter a large ‘App, A traditional dome -shaped house, which is engraved with pictures and handles created by the iron doors of the black sticks (a music device used in songs and ceremonies). Visitors can also rotate in a 3.5 -acre garden that exhibits local plants such as Dog Bean and Jerba Mansa, as well as Chomash Baskri, Red Wood Cano and other traditions.

The location of the museum is also important: it is encountered, it faces the point of view, which is an uneven headland on the west side that calls the chomash Compare, Where their ancestors left the physical world to enter the circle of soul. Walker said, “For my father, our ancestors and the elders who have passed.

A version of this story first appeared in the February 2025 issue Travel + leisure Under the heading of “sacred water”“