A California tribe is speaking out after reports surfaced that soil created from composted human remains was spread on land along the San Joaquin River—an action tribal leaders say is deeply disrespectful to Native cultures and ancestral lands.
The Tribal Council of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians issued a public statement on Thursday condemning the activity and calling for an immediate halt to the practice. The tribe said the land in question lies within the ancestral homeland of the Yokuts people and holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for Native communities in the region.
The controversy centers on the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, which manages a 76-acre property known as Sumner Peck Ranch in Fresno County. According to local officials, the nonprofit had been accepting soil produced through a process known as “natural organic reduction,” commonly referred to as human composting.
Human composting is an emerging alternative to burial or cremation in which a body is placed in a vessel with organic materials such as wood chips and plant matter. Over several weeks, microbes break down the remains into soil. The process typically takes about 30 to 45 days and produces nutrient-rich compost that families can keep or donate for environmental restoration projects.
In this case, the compost was reportedly provided by Earth Funeral, a Washington-based company that promotes the practice as an environmentally friendly option. The soil had been delivered to the conservation trust for use in habitat restoration work on the ranch property along the river.
The situation became public this past week when Fresno County officials and members of the San Joaquin River Conservancy learned that the material was being used on the property. Local leaders expressed alarm that soil created from human remains had been spread in an environmentally sensitive area without public knowledge or regulatory review.
In response, Fresno County issued a cease-and-desist order instructing the trust to stop receiving or using the compost while the situation is reviewed. The trust has since agreed to halt the practice and will not accept additional deliveries, though officials say removing material already on the property may require coordination with the company that provided it.
The controversy has sparked a broader debate about the legal and ethical implications of human composting. While several states have legalized natural organic reduction as a funeral option, California law regulating the practice is still evolving, and questions remain about how and where the resulting soil can be used.
In its statement, the Picayune Rancheria said the use of composted human remains on lands connected to Native history represents a serious cultural violation. Tribal leaders emphasized that the treatment of human remains is one of the most sacred responsibilities in Indigenous traditions and warned that activities involving human remains must be approached with respect and consultation.
The tribe also pointed to federal and state protections for Native burial sites and cultural resources, including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), which was enacted to prevent the disturbance of Indigenous graves and ancestral remains.
“Protecting the dignity of the deceased and preserving the cultural integrity of ancestral lands is not optional,” the tribal council said. “It is a responsibility we all share.”
The tribe is now urging those involved to permanently halt the activity and work with tribal governments to ensure that culturally sensitive lands are respected and protected going forward.
