The Collaborative Research Program at Quiroste Valley

"This place feels good." Dan Mondragon (Amah Mutsun Ohlone) slowly stretches his legs and breathes in the fresh, sea-scented air as he steps down from his truck after a bumpy ride on a long dirt road. He has just entered a small sheltered valley, known as Quiroste, an extraordinary location that time has seemingly forgotten. An administrative unit of Año Nuevo State Reserve, Quiroste Valley is tucked into the rugged topography of the Coastal Ranges in Central California, some distance away from the bellowing elephant seals that have made Año Nuevo a popular destination among visitors.

This collaborative team of Indian scholars, archaeologists, ecologists, and land managers is embarking on an innovative research program with two primary goals. One is to examine Indian history in Quiroste Valley and to consider how it may have shaped historical developments in the broader region. The other is to undertake a comprehensive study of indigenous landscape management practices employed in the watershed through time.