In a significant move for environmental conservation, President Biden announced the establishment of two new national monuments in California, thus preserving these vital lands from development and setting a historic record for land and water conservation in the United States.
The Sáttítla Highlands National Monument spans over 224,000 acres in Northern California, encompassing the ancestral homelands of the Pit River Tribe and Modoc people. This remarkable area features a dormant volcano and is home to the longest-known lava tube system globally.
Meanwhile, the Chuckwalla National Monument covers more than 624,000 acres south of Joshua Tree National Park. It includes sacred sites significant to five Indigenous tribes and supports 50 rare species of flora and fauna, including the iconic chuckwalla lizard.
The Chuckwalla monument plays a crucial role in a broader corridor of protected lands extending approximately 600 miles and encompassing nearly 18 million acres across California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. This initiative is part of what the White House describes as the Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor.
Throughout his presidency, Biden has successfully protected a staggering 674 million acres of land and waters through national monuments and other conservation efforts, cementing his legacy in environmental protection.
