What's at stake for California's National Monuments

Our national parks and monuments are under unprecedented attacks from the Trump administration. First, the administration proposed drastic budget cuts for the Department of the Interior, which manages many of our parks, public lands, and resources. And now, they are “reviewing” all national monuments designated under the Antiquities Act since 1996, paving the way to eliminate designations and protections for these incredible outdoor landscapes and cultural and historical sites.

CLCV partnered with the National League of Conservation Voters to generate more than 340,000 public comments in opposition to these unprecedented cuts and continues to work to defend our public lands from attack. Below are some highlights of just what is at stake in California under this review,originally posted via LCV. You can see which Monuments are under review nationally here.

California is home to several national monuments that are within driving distance of Los Angeles. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Carrizo Plain National Monument, and the Sands to Snow National Monument are beautiful places that allow Californians to get outside.

Unfortunately, these beautiful and wild places are under attack. The Trump Administration is currently issuing a review of our national monuments that could limit protections for these areas or eliminate them altogether. Our partners in California are leading the resistance and fighting back against this misguided review.

CARRIZO PLAIN

The Carrizo Plain National Monument, located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley in San Luis Obispo County, is home to countless natural and cultural treasures. The Soda Lake, which is actually dried up for most of the year, lake leaves rich minerals where rare plants and wildlife, like the kit fox and burrowing owl, live.

Carrizo is much more than an ecosystem for endangered species— it helps to tell the stories of the indigenous people who lived in California centuries ago. Painted Rock, a massive sandstone formation, is held sacred by Chumash people and features 4,000-year-old pictographs.

Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) is fighting to bring more attention to efforts to protect Carrizo from the harmful review of national monuments. He spoke out in Congress, in an editorial and in a letter urging the Department of the Interior to preserve Carrizo.

SAN GABRIELS

The San Gabriel National Monument is a group of mountains overlooking Los Angeles that is one of the few ranges that stretches from east to west. This monument provides the 9.8 million residents of LA county access to the great outdoors.

The monument is critical to empowering communities of color and low-income communities to enjoy nature. Janet Valenzuela, an environmental justice activist, works with local groups like San Gabriel Mountains Forever, to ensure that communities of color feel comfortable with their knowledge of the outdoors and welcome in the area.

SANDS TO SNOW

One of California’s newest monuments is the Sands to Snow National Monument, which was designated by President Obama in February 2016. This area has rich biological diversity, with a desert ecosystem towards the bottom of the monument, and a snowy wooded area near the top that connects to the San Gorgino Wilderness.

Sadly, this relatively new monument is already under attack. Despite the extensive process that led to the designation of this monument, the Trump administration hopes to undo years of public collaboration in one fell swoop. Jack Thompson, the Regional Director of Wildlands Conservancy, a preserve that is surrounded by Sands to Snow, highlighted the importance of protecting this iconic place.

Are you angry about the Trump Administration’s attacks on our public lands? Donate today to help CLCV have the resources we need to fight back: www.ecovote.org/ProtectOurMonuments

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The month of March is Public Lands Month, and we’ve got some big goals. We’re pushing for 5 national monument designations while fighting for clean water, Indigenous land protection, ecosystem conservation, and increasing access to nature. 

But we need your help to make these campaigns a success →