The California Desert is one of the most unique places in the country, thanks to its starkly beautiful scenery, Native American petroglyphs, and multicultural history. But this area is threatened by development as the greater Los Angeles and Las Vegas metropolitan areas continue to grow. Now is the time for President Obama to permanently protect places like the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and the Castle Mountain for generations to come.
The Mojave Trails National Monument would preserve vast open spaces include ancient trade routes of indigenous Americans as well as historic Route 66, and essential habitat for desert tortoise and bighorn sheep linking two national parks. Sand to Snow, rising from the Sonoran desert floor to Mount San Gorgonio, Southern California's highest peak, is a botanically rich tapestry of ecosystems and cultural sites. Castle Mountains includes some of the region's finest Joshua tree, pinyon pine, and juniper forests.
Tell President Obama to protect these special California desert landscapes by designating them new national monuments.