Urgent Call for Funding:
Tututni Estuary Eco-Cultural Restoration

July 2025

Update:

We’ve been working tirelessly to secure a culturally significant parcel at Wedderburn Loop as the future home of the Intertribal Cultural Center — a place of healing, cultural restoration, education, and public river access. This land holds deep cultural significance and was envisioned to benefit the entire Gold Beach community and future generations.

However, despite our efforts, the Curry County Board of Commissioners has determined that NAIC did not have standing to appeal the conditional use permit for the RV park, and the hearing has officially closed. This is a disappointing outcome that reflects the systemic barriers tribal people face when protecting sacred lands.

What Happened

  • We submitted an official appeal of the Curry County Planning Department’s decision to approve a conditional use permit for an RV park on the Wedderburn Loop site.

  • At the public hearing held on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the Board of Commissioners ruled that NAIC lacked standing to pursue the appeal, and the hearing was subsequently closed.

  • As a result, the development of the RV park is moving forward — despite strong public opposition and significant cultural, environmental, and community concerns

What’s Next

This fight may have ended in the courtroom, but it continues in the community. We are exploring other pathways to protect and uplift culturally significant lands across Curry County, and we remain committed to sharing this vision with our neighbors, funders, and future decision-makers.

How You Can Still Help

  • Support our broader vision for an Intertribal Cultural Center through donations or partnerships.

  • Stay informed by joining our newsletter and following NAIC on social media.

  • Amplify our message by sharing this story with your network.

  • Advocate for policy change that ensures Curry County protects culturally significant lands.

We remain grounded in our purpose and our prayers. Together, we will continue to honor our ancestors, protect culturally significant lands, and build something lasting for the next generation.

Why This Project Matters

The Northwest American Indian Coalition (NAIC)* seeks $2.6 million in funding to acquire and restore a 5.2-acre culturally significant parcel at the mouth of the Rogue River in Gold Beach, Oregon. This land, historically tied to the Tututni people, is at immediate risk of further harmful commercial development. We aim to restore its cultural and ecological integrity, ensuring resilience for the local people - both indigenous and settlers - and an intertribal space to begin healing from removal.

The Tututni Rogue Estuary Ecocultural Restoration project is a critical effort to reclaim and restore land that has deep cultural significance for the Tututni people, who have been historically displaced and disconnected from their ancestral lands. This project will prevent further harmful commercial development and use in the Rogue River estuary floodplain, benefit endangered species, and restore the natural shoreline to its pre-industrial condition, enhancing climate resilience and fostering community engagement through educational and cultural programs tied to the Rogue River.

  • Northwest American Indian Coalition is a native led 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, we are not a tribal government, and we do not possess any federal legal authorities related to casinos or traditional fishing. Our focus is entirely on cultural preservation and environmental restoration.

Key Activities

  • Land Acquisition: Secure the property to prevent industrial development and conserve the estuary.

  • Ecological Restoration: Remove hazardous materials, restore natural habitats, and support biodiversity.

  • Cultural Restoration: Reestablish traditional practices, provide a space for cultural education, and protect sacred sites from further private development.

Timeline:

  • Immediate Action: Secure funding by December 2024 to initiate the purchase, and prevent construction of an RV park in this location.

  • Long-Term Vision: Full restoration of the shoreline and community use by July 2026, with ongoing stewardship and community involvement.

Budget Summary -  Total Request: $2,830,000 USD
(min. $1.9M by December 2024)

  • Land Purchase: $1.9 million

  • Restoration and Stewardship: $415,500

  • Cultural and Community Engagement: $100,000

  • Project Management Costs: $513,500

For Our Children and Future Generations
Support the Tututni Rogue Estuary Ecocultural Restoration today.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

This place consists of an irreplaceable cultural and ecological resource that contributes to the broader goal of healing historical injustices and ensuring a sustainable future for the Tututni people and the community of Gold Beach. We urge you to support this vital effort for the benefit of current and future generations. 

Tabatha M. Rood | Project Manager (541) 351-8194

Katrina Thompson-Upton NAIC Founder | Board Chair (541) 661 - 0655