CALIFORNIA, USA — President Joe Biden signed a proclamation Thursday to expand two California national monuments in an effort to “honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples and expand access to nature” — including one right in Sacramento’s backyard.
The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument spans across Napa, Yolo, Solano, Lake, Colusa, Glenn and Mendocino counties and will now expand another 13,696 acres of public lands, according to a White House press release.
The extra land is also intended to further protect threatened and endangered fish and wildlife. It is home to outdoor recreational facilities and is used for scientific research.
“These expansions will increase access to nature, boost our outdoor economy, and honor areas of significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples as we continue to safeguard our public lands for all Americans and for generations to come,” said Vice President Kamala Harris.
Former president Barack Obama signed the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument proclamation in 2015, designating 330,000 acres of public land to protect its “rich biodiversity, including relic prairies, riparian habitats and species endemic to California” like the Tule elk, according to the White House.
It ranges from rolling, oak-studded hillsides to steep creek canyons and ridgelines with expansive views, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service.
“This expansion honors Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples through the protection of this sacred California landscape and its historically and biologically important features, while conserving our public lands and growing America’s outdoor recreation economy,” according to a White House press release.
To pay homage to the tribes in the area, Walker Ridge near the Indian Valley Reservoir Camp Ground is being renamed to Molok Luyuk, which means Condor Ridge in the language of the Patwin people.
“Molok Luyuk is sacred to the Tribes who have long advocated for its protection and maintain a deep connection with this land and thanks to President Biden’s leadership, it will now be protected for future generations,” said United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.
Along with the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will be expanded. Nearly 120,000 acres total will be added to both national monuments.
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