Statement from Trust for Public Land on The Biden Administration’s Expansion of Two National Monuments in California – Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument 

San Francisco, CA – A statement from Guillermo Rodriguez, Vice President Pacific Region, California State Director for Trust for Public Land, on President Biden declaring via the Antiquities Act the expansion of two national monuments – Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument – in California providing expanded boundaries and permanent protections:

“The Trust for Public Land applauds the Biden Administration’s proclamation expanding the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, serving as the backyard to the nation’s second-largest urban center, and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, with its rich biodiversity and deep cultural significance, are invaluable assets that contribute to the well-being of communities and flora and fauna alike. We commend this decisive action to protect and enhance these national treasures in California. 

The expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument demonstrates a commitment to protecting invaluable biodiversity and enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities for over 18 million Southern Californians who live within a 90-minute drive. And by adding the Walker Ridge to Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, it shows a true commitment to preserving our shared heritage and ensuring access to these cherished California landscapes for generations to come. 

With the Biden Administration’s proclamation expanding both the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California takes a significant step forward in safeguarding vital ecosystems and ensuring equitable access to outdoor spaces for millions. Trust for Public Land also encourages the Administration to redouble its investments in these Monuments to ensure responsible stewardship and effective management. TPL stands ready to assist the Biden Administration in ensuring these Monuments live up to their fullest promise.”

Trust for Public Land has contributed to the protection of more than 6,800 acres of national monuments, visited by millions of people annually, as they connect to nature, experience cultural treasures, and enjoy the outdoors. These monuments have included projects at Bandelier, California Coastal, Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers Boyhood Home, Fort Sumter, Pipestone, Rio Grande del Norte, and Stonewall, demonstrating the depth and breadth of places the Antiquities Act protects and the American stories our national monuments tell.

Passed by Congress and signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, the Antiquities Act permanently protects land that is determined to be of significant cultural, scientific, or natural value. Without it, places like the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park would never enjoy the level of protection that today enables visitors to experience their majesty. 

In recent years, TPL has worked with land managers and local communities near newly designated National Monuments, to acquire priority inholdings, clean up checkerboard ownership, or to improve and increase public access.    

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About Trust for Public Land    

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,420 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $94 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.7 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org