In the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains and just a few miles outside of Gilroy, California, sits land that is sacred to the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. Known as Juristac, the Amah Mutsun lived on this land for millennia until they were forcibly removed. Today, a private investor group wants to develop a massive gravel and sand mining complex on the site, despite its cultural significance to the Amah Mutsun, as well as the role it serves as a wildlife corridor and refuge for vulnerable species. The Amah Mutsun oppose this plan, and have been organizing to stop it. Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, joins  Terra Verde host and Earth Island Journal Managing Editor Zoe Loftus-Farren to discuss the campaign to protect Juristac.

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