November 10, 2023
On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources Dr. Homer Wilkes held a listening session for a long time effort to expand the San Gabriel National Monument.
Nature for All Coalition supporters by Roberto Morales
Sierra Club National and local LA Chapter alongside partners from the Nature for All Coalition and supporters of the San Gabriel Mountains Forever Campaign, composed of dozens of conservation groups, helped mobilize more than 150 community members and provided over 100 in person comments in support as well as thousands of petition signatures calling on the Biden Administration to expand the National Monument through the antiquities act.
Map of the proposed monument expansion by Erik Peterson
Congresswoman Judy Chu and Senator Alex Padilla introduced legislation earlier this year to support this expansion, Los Angeles County as well as multiple cities across the region have passed resolutions calling for the expansion of the monument which will protect upwards of 100,000 acres of the Angeles Forest.
The San Gabriel Mountains are an extremely important recreational resource to all of Southern California, being two thirds of all of LA's open space and receiving more than 4 million visitors per year. The same listening session occurred nearly ten years ago calling on then President Obama to declare the San Gabriels a National Monument through the use of the Antiquities Act so for many it was exciting to see many leaders among local tribes, mayors, CA governor's office and representatives from the state legislature came out to support this expansion.
The next steps for our campaign will be to continue to pressure the Biden administration on this designation by collecting more comments, resolutions from cities, and hosting more events to raise awareness about this effort.
Many thanks to the Angeles chapter staff, Morgan Goodwin, Kim Obe, and Jonathan Howard who helped turn out Sierra Club volunteers to the event. Also thanks to Jenny Binstock for her comments and Yassi Kavezade for buying and passing out 54 pizzas ~ 600 slices.
Header image: Sierra Club Leader Sandra Cattell Providing Insightful Commentary During the Hearing by Erik Peterson