SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS (CNS) – The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will be expanded in a proclamation signed by President Joe Biden today. It is part of the White House administration’s American the Beautiful Initiative and will add nearly 106,000 acres to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
President Barack Obama designated the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014. The proclamation by Biden will add 105,919 acres of U.S. Forest Service lands to the south and west of the current monument’s 346,177 acres; protect additional cultural, scientific, and historic objects; and expand access to outdoor recreation on our shared public lands for generations to come, according to a release from the White House.
“These monuments have fostered a lifelong connection to nature for millions of Californians, and their expansions will ensure future generations can experience and enjoy them as well,” said Sen. Alex Padilla. “This announcement will also usher in an important new era of cooperative stewardship between our federal land management agencies and tribal governments, and marks a significant milestone following decades of local efforts to safeguard these natural landscapes.”
The expanded areas in the San Gabriel Mountains were once home to indigenous tribes, the Gabrielino, Kizh, or Tongva, and the Chumash, Kitanemuk, Serrano, and Tataviam peoples.
“We are thrilled that the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is expanding,” said Rudy Ortega Jr., President, Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. “We thank the Biden administration for making this longstanding vision a reality. Expanding the Monument helps protect lands of cultural importance to my people who are part of this nation’s history and who have cared for these lands since time immemorial. It also further protects areas that are critical for our environment and the wildlife and plants that depend on this landscape.”
The land in the San Gabriel Mountains is also home to the endangered California condors. It provides key habitats that support wetland dependent plant species, fish and amphibians, and animal migrant corridors.
Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous said expanding the monuments areas 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,” he said.