During my reporting on this series, the people I interviewed kept coming back to one central question: what was the original intention of the founders of Point Reyes National Seashore? Did they intend ranching to be here forever? Or was ranching supposed to be phased out to make room for conservation?

In this episode, we dive deep into the formation of the park to discover how Point Reyes National Seashore was created, and what those founders really had in mind for the future of ranching.

We also investigate the political relationships between ranchers, the National Park Service, and local politicians like Jared Huffman and Diane Feinstein, to understand how those relationships shape debate and policy to this day.

Written and reported by Sam Anderson. Editing by Lucy Kang. Cover art, cinematography and web design by Anthony Wells. Theme music by Christopher Rose and Robert Quijano.

Originally broadcast on 94.1 KPFA. 

An Earthstory Studio production. Visit www.earthstory.studio to learn more. To contact us, please email WeLoveEarthStory at gmail dot com.

Before Point Reyes became a national park, it was an intricate coastal prairie teeming with life. This land was inhabited by a local tribe called the Coast Miwok. But when European settlers arrived, everything changed.

Theresa Harlan is a Coast Miwok woman with deep roots in Point Reyes. Her family's homestead is a place they call Felix Cove, although the NPS refers to it as Laird's Landing. The story of Theresa's family is intricately related to cattle ranching and how that industry transformed both the landscape and way of life for indigenous peoples.

Written and reported by Sam Anderson. Editing by Lucy Kang. Cover art, cinematography and web design by Anthony Wells. Theme music by Christopher Rose and Robert Quijano.

Originally broadcast on 94.1 KPFA. 

An Earthstory Studio production. Visit www.earthstory.studio to learn more. To contact us, please email WeLoveEarthStory at gmail dot com.

The Tule Elk are a protected species native to California. Once on the brink of extinction, they were brought back in a conservation success story. But today, the elk in Point Reyes are dying of starvation and thirst. Environmentalists blame an 8-foot-tall fence penning them in to a small area called Tomales Point.

How did this fence get here and what is its purpose? Reporter Sam Anderson decides to find out.

Written and reported by Sam Anderson. Editing by Lucy Kang. Cover art, cinematography and web design by Anthony Wells. Theme music by Christopher Rose and Robert Quijano.

Originally broadcast on 94.1 KPFA.

An Earthstory Studio production. Visit www.earthstory.studio to learn more. To contact us, please email WeLoveEarthStory at gmail dot com.