Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Biden designated two new national monuments today. The Chuckwalla National Monument will preserve the desert ecosystem south of Joshua Tree National Park, while the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument will safeguard critical water resources and national forests in northeast California.
The Chuckwalla designation protects more than 624,000 acres of public lands in southern California. The monument encompasses notable cultural and recreation sites like Painted Canyon and Corn Springs, and protects vital habitat for species including the desert tortoise and Chuckwalla lizard. Chuckwalla is the capstone of the new Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor, which protects nearly 18 million acres from Colorado to California. The new monument is also within the traditional homelands of at least five Indigenous nations.
The land known as Sáttítla, often referred to as the “headwaters for California,” supplies fresh water to millions across the state. The area holds deep cultural significance for the Pit River and Modoc Tribes, who have used it for religious ceremonies and gatherings since time immemorial. The new national monument will protect approximately 224,000 acres in the Modoc, Shasta-Trinity, and Klamath National Forests.
The new national monuments bring the total number designated or expanded by Biden to twelve, encompassing more than 2.4 million acres of public lands across the United States.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:
“Our public lands tell the history of America. They must be protected for us to learn from, and to be enjoyed and explored, for this generation and those to come. Throughout his time in office, President Biden has not only recognized that, he has acted with urgency. Today, the Sierra Club celebrates President Biden’s bold actions to, once again, protect and preserve America's natural and cultural resources. From the ecologically rich Chuckwalla deserts in the south to the primordial network of Sáttítla aquifers in the north to the fragile habitats and ecosystems of the southwest, communities and wildlife will continue to benefit from the clean water, protected landscapes and more equitable access to nature these monuments preserve.
“For years, Tribes and Indigenous voices have called for these landscapes to be protected. As he has throughout his presidency, President Biden answered those calls. Each new national monument adds a chapter to the story our public lands tell. We must continue the work to expand that story, protect the lands and waters that make this country special and preserve the historical, cultural and spiritual connections the original stewards of these landscapes continue to have with these places.”
UPDATE: President Biden's signing ceremony was postponed due to dangerously high winds in Southern California. He is expected to sign the proclamations the week of January 13.
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.