Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the White House announced the expansion of two national monuments in California. Using powers granted by the Antiquities Act of 1906, President Biden added protections for lands adjacent to San Gabriel Mountains National Monument near Los Angeles, and to Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California. Biden’s designation provides permanent protection for roughly 120,000 acres of public lands in the Golden State.
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, first designated in 2014 by then-President Barack Obama, will now include additional acreage within the Angeles National Forest, which overlaps with the existing national monument. Expanding the monument, which is the largest area of open, natural space in Greater Los Angeles, will increase equitable access to nature, improve public health, conserve drinking water sources, and protect key wildlife habitat.
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, designated in 2015 by President Obama, covers landscapes from Napa County in the south to Mendocino County in the north. President Biden’s designation adds an area known by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation as “Molok Luyuk” (pronounced Ma-lok Lue-yoke), which means “Condor Ridge” in the Patwin language. The area was formerly known as “Walker Ridge,” but was changed as part of Biden's designation. The newly protected landscapes are located on the eastern edge of the existing monument and include oak woodlands, wildflower meadows, pine forests, and the world’s largest stand of McNab cypress trees.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:
“National monuments protect more than landscapes. They preserve the historical, cultural, and spiritual legacies of the people who have made this country what it is.
“Expanding the San Gabriels monument and protecting Molok Luyuk will have significant and immediate benefits for the communities, wildlife, and ecosystems of California. Millions of people will have greater access to nature, vital habitat will be preserved for imperiled species, and critical water resources will be safeguarded for those who rely on them.
“Since day one, President Biden has made it clear that he is serious about protecting public lands and preserving the legacies etched into those landscapes. We urge him to continue to build his monumental legacy.”
Mary Lunetta, Sierra Club’s California Field Organizing Strategist, said:
“These sacred lands are a place of refuge: for tens of millions of residents and visitors and for the rare and endangered wildlife who call these places home.
“Years of hard work from local Tribes, governments, activists, and Sierra Club leaders made this win possible. We’re thrilled that the San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain will now be protected for generations to come, and we look forward to continuing our work to expand access to nature for all Californians.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.