President Biden announced protections for over 848,000 acres in California, designating Chuckwalla and Sáttítla as national monuments to safeguard wildlife corridors and Indigenous cultural sites.
Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The Chuckwalla National Monument, near Joshua Tree National Park, creates a 600-mile protected wildlife corridor along the Colorado River.
- The Sáttítla National Monument encompasses the Medicine Lake Highlands, sacred to the Pit River Tribe and used for cultural and religious practices for over 5,000 years.
- Boundaries were negotiated to preserve areas for renewable energy development while protecting biodiversity.
Key quote:
“This landscape, which has been occupied by Indigenous peoples for more than 5,000 years, continues to be integral to tribal religious and cultural practices despite a history of forced dispossession.”
— Tom Vilsack, U.S. agriculture secretary
Why this matters:
Protecting biodiversity-rich lands ensures wildlife migration routes remain intact and respects Indigenous heritage sites. Balancing conservation and renewable energy projects can support environmental goals without compromising sacred areas.
