On Thursday, May 2nd, President Joe Biden expanded the perimeters of two national monuments in California, protecting mountains and meadows in a remote area between Napa and Mendocino as well as a rugged stretch east of Los Angeles.
The San Gabriel Monument encompasses 342,177 acres of the Angeles National Forest and 4,002 acres of neighboring San Bernardino National Forest. The monument will be expanded by approximately 110,000 acres. The expanded national monument includes a unique scenic railroad, grand recreation resorts and Nike missile facilities that date back to the Cold War.
The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument includes nearly 331,000 acres of protected land in parts of the RCRC member counties of Napa, Yolo, Solano, Lake, Colusa, Glenn and Mendocino. It will be expanded by approximately 13,753 acres. The new designation protects a striking 11-mile-long ridgeline that features unique geologic and hydrologic features and is sacred to the Patwin people. The presidential proclamation also permanently renames the ridgeline, previously known as Walker Ridge, to Molok Luyuk, which means Condor Ridge in the language of the Patwin people.