Trip Report: Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument Designation

President Biden, California lawmakers, Tribal members, and outdoor recreation partners celebrating our newest national monuments.

Last week, Outdoor Alliance joined partners from California and across the country at the White House for the proclamation signing for the designations of two California National Monuments—Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. Together, the two new national monuments protect 848,000 acres of lands in California and will be co-managed and co-steward by the local tribal communities.

Katie Hawkins, our California Program Director, and Adam Cramer, Outdoor Alliance’s CEO, attended the proclamation signing at the White House with other partners deeply involved in protecting these California landscapes. The two new monuments evince a commitment to respond to Tribal communities, community leaders, conservation groups, outdoor recreation advocates, renewable energy companies, local businesses, and key decision makers at the local, state, and federal level to ensure that future generations can connect to these landscapes for years to come.

Photo by Josh Jackson, Chuckwalla National Monument

The designations mean that the tribal communities will have a significant voice in the planning and management of these two national monuments, ensuring that Tribes can use traditional ecological knowledge to help inform land-use decisions, such as fire management, protection of sacred sites, outdoor recreation access, and the conservation of habitat and biodiversity.

Along with attending the proclamation signing, Outdoor Alliance California staff met with close partners in Congress and our land management agencies on current and future priorities for the growing outdoor recreation community in California. Outdoor Alliance California has worked closely with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance legislation and key priorities such as the EXPLORE Act, protecting public lands and waters, securing funding for outdoor recreation, and ensuring access to America’s public lands and waters for current and future generations.

As the new administration and new Congress take office this week, the team at Outdoor Alliance California will continue to bring the voices of outdoor enthusiasts in California to decision makers in D.C. to protect and expand outdoor recreation opportunities.