Meet the New California Desert National Monuments
Mariana Maguire and Frazier Haney will discuss the newly designated National Monuments in the California desert: Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow and Castle Mountains. The speakers will review the campaign to establish the monuments, give an update on what management tools are being developed for them, and of course highlight their landscapes, ecology, and many opportunities for recreation.
Mariana is Southern California Associate Director for Conservation for the Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF), a national organization dedicated to protecting, restoring and expanding the National Conservation Lands, the USA’s newest collection of protected lands. Frazier is Conservation Director at the Mojave Desert Land Trust.
Mojave Trails National Monument, the largest of the three new national monuments, provides more that 1.6 million acres of vital habitat for sensitive wildlife and unspoiled desert vistas, including 350,000 acres of congressionally designated Wilderness. It protects sacred Native American trails and trade routes; the longest undeveloped stretch of historic Route 66; ancient lava flows; trilobite fossil beds; and many unique historic and scientific features. Mojave Trails also represents the largest land gift in American history, with over 200,000 private acres donated to the Bureau of Land Management for conservation in perpetuity.
“The California desert is a remarkable area with one of the most diverse landscapes in our state", says Mariana. “This designation comes in response to nearly a decade of collaboration by local leaders, business owners, off-road vehicle groups, veterans, local conservation organizations, faith leaders and members of California’s congressional delegation. Local leaders understand that we can both protect the natural wonders that draw visitors to the California desert and support outdoor recreation and tourism important to our economy.”
Mariana previously spent seven years in Washington, D.C., as a policy advisor in the House of Representatives. She spearheaded legislation to create a national recreation area in the San Gabriel Mountains outside Los Angeles, and worked closely with the Obama Administration and a diverse coalition of stakeholders to establish a national monument there. Mariana also worked to advance climate change and climate resiliency policies, balanced approaches to renewable energy development and outreach to non-traditional allies.
She has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University. A California native, she has a strong appreciation for the state’s conservation legacy, and the benefits of public lands. She enjoys hiking, cycling, paddle boarding, skiing, and a host of other hobbies. She also loves playing tour guide and sharing the outdoors with others, especially her pup Lucie.
Frazier Haney has been the Conservation Director at the Mojave Desert Land Trust since September 2013. He grew up hiking, climbing and camping in the Midwest and the California Desert. Finishing a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology at UC Santa Cruz, Frazier began his career managing preserves for the Wildlands Conservancy. He now serves in volunteer capacity on the Board of The Wildlands Conservancy, and is actively involved in the high desert community, helping to educate the public on the value of conservation. He currently lives in Joshua Tree, Ca with his wife Jamie and their daughter Lily.
