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.
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Biden also signed a proclamation to expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument on Thursday. It will protect a total of 120,000 acres in California.
"What a momentous day for Angelenos," said U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park. "Thanks to the passionate advocacy for many decades of a vibrant, diverse coalition of Indigenous community leaders, community activists, and nature-lovers across Southern California, President Biden is expanding the boundaries of the existing San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and protecting more of a national treasure in our backyard."
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. The designated areas of expansion are part of Tribal Nations and other indigenous peoples in the region, and are used for ceremonial purposes, as well as for collecting traditional plants important for basketry, food and medicine.
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.
"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."
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Chief Anthony Morales of the Garbrieleno San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians said it is worth celebrating the expansion.
"The San Gabriel Mountains are historically significant to our tribe, our people, and our culture," he said. "Protecting more of this important region helps protect our traditional plants and cultural resources. We join Senator (Alex) Padilla and Representative Chu in thanking President Biden for using the Antiquities Act to expand the monument.''
Padilla said the national monuments are home to "our greatest natural marvels.
"I am thrilled to see President Biden exercise his authority to permanently protect the entire San Gabriel Mountains and formally incorporate Molok Luyuk and its thousands of years of tribal origin stories into the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument," he said. "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. 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."
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.
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"National monuments protect more than landscapes. They preserve the historical, cultural, and spiritual legacies of the people who have made this country what it is," he said.
"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.''
Mary Luetta, Sierra Club's California Field Organizing Strategist, said, "These sacred lands are a place of refuge: for tens of millions of residents and visitors and for the rare and endangered wildlife who call these places home."
"Years of hard work from local Tribes, governments, activists, and Sierra Club leaders made this win possible. We're thrilled that the San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain will now be protected for generations to come, and we look forward to continuing our work to expand access to nature for all Californians."