President Biden Designates Chuckwalla National Monument
Pristine, desert landscape in Chuckwalla National Monument. Photo by Christina Aiello
Washington D.C., January 14, 2025 – Today, President Biden designated the Chuckwalla National Monument, which will protect and preserve more than 624,000 acres of lands south of Joshua Tree in southern California that hold diverse ecological, cultural, and historical value. This designation will enhance wildlife connectivity for the people and other species that rely on connected landscapes, benefiting animals like bighorn sheep, Mojave desert tortoises, mule deer, and mountain lions. The monument is a welcome addition to California’s diverse network of national parks, monuments, and wilderness areas, helping to preserve the natural history that protects and sustains life in the desert.
“Isolated protected areas cannot fully support the diverse needs of a functional ecosystem and its members – particularly in desert systems where resources can be sparse, and movement can be critical for wildlife to survive,” says Christina Aiello, California wildlife biologist at Wildlands Network. "Chuckwalla National Monument is not only important for the sensitive plants, animals, and culture it protects locally, but it fits in like a puzzle piece into the mosaic of large, protected desert landscapes that will become increasingly important as our climate changes and we continue to combat the ongoing extinction crisis.”
In addition, the Chuckwalla National Monument is a final piece in establishing the Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor, the largest corridor of protected lands in the continental United States. The corridor covers nearly 18 million acres across approximately 600 miles, from Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southwestern Utah, through Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona and Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada, and finally reaching the deserts and mountains of southern California that are now protected with today’s designation.
“We’re grateful that President Biden is formally recognizing the need to preserve the biodiversity and human culture present on this unique landscape. This major milestone could not have happened without resounding support of Tribal leaders, local communities and organizations, and elected officials like Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Laphonza Butler, and Representative Raul Ruiz,” said Erin Sito, U.S. public policy director at Wildlands Network.
As Wildlands Network works to create wildlife corridors and safe passages across highways, we continue to take steps toward preserving the natural history that protects and sustains life in these storied deserts.
Contacts:
Tim Noviello, Wildlands Network, tim@wildlandsnetwork.org
Christina Aiello, Wildlands Network, christina@wildlandsnetwork.org
About Wildlands Network: Wildlands Network is a conservation organization focused on reconnecting, restoring, and rewilding North America's wild places to ensure the survival of wildlife and the health of the planet.
Cover photo by Christina Aiello
