Environmental Stewardship

NCTC is a leader in Tribal co-management and environmental justice, driving marine protection, land restoration, cultural heritage preservation, language revitalization, and the protection of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as foundational guidance for stewardship.

Fire Stewardship & Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

NCTC advances Tribal stewardship across land and ocean by championing co-management, marine protection, land restoration, cultural heritage preservation, language revitalization, and the safeguarding of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).

Goat Grazing & Fire Fuel Reduction (Lompoc Area)

NCTC deploys grazing goats throughout the Lompoc region to reduce fire fuel loads, restore native landscapes, and support Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) fire stewardship practices. Our goats provide an effective, chemical‑free method of vegetation management that protects communities and strengthens ecological resilience. Goat grazing is available for landowners, farms, and community partners seeking safe and sustainable fuel reduction.

HIRE GO-GO AMAZING GRAZING GOATS LOMPOC AREA ONLY.

Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

In 2015, NCTC nominated the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary through NOAA to safeguard the unique biodiversity and thousands of years of Chumash sacred sites along the Central Coast. The proposed Chumash Heritage sanctuary is the first to be nominated by a Tribal organization.

Oceano Dunes

The Oceano Dunes have been a Chumash sacred site for thousands of years. NCTC has been advocating for its protection–especially from destructive off-road vehicle activity–for decades, and played an instrumental role in the 2021 landmark CA Coastal Commission decision to phase vehicles out.

Offshore Wind Farms

NCTC has been consulting with offshore wind developers and proponents, as well as local, state, and federal governments, to ensure future offshore wind off the Central Coast is sited appropriately and minimizes impacts to the environment and cultural resources.

Chumash Kitchen

Chumash Kitchen is a community experience where our Chumash leaders share traditional practices of collecting, processing and transforming seasonal, local foods into several modern and traditional recipes. Chumash Kitchen fosters a deeper relationship with the native plants, while educating the community on new methods for incorporating more indigenous foods into modern dishes.

Morro Rock Reunification Project

In 1889, the Chumash sacred site of Lisamu’ - commonly known as Morro Rock - was mined as a rock quarry to make the breakwater in Morro Bay and Port San Luis. In 2021, NCTC began consulting on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to return some Lisamu’ stones from Port San Luis to form a seamount near Morro Bay.

Diablo Canyon Power Plant Decommissioning

NCTC has been an active participant in the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant decommissioning process, advocating for the protection of cultural resources on site and to restore and preserve the lands surrounding the plant indefinitely.