By Cameron Mayer, Executive Director
It has been a whirlwind of advocacy activity here at FAB in the past few months! As such, I have some exciting updates to share. We’ve hit major milestones in our campaign to have the public lands of the Amargosa Basin designated as a national monument.
This past month saw a unanimous vote of support from the Inyo County Board of Supervisors on a resolution pertaining to the proposed monument, following formal support by multiple Tribal Nations, chambers of commerce, local businesses, community organizations and members, and conservation groups.
But, what are national monuments, why do they matter, and what exactly are we hoping to achieve in this remote corner of the California desert?
National monuments are protected places that help preserve important natural, cultural, or historical sites. They are different from national parks. They typically have less amenities and developments in the landscape. Additionally, they are often managed by another agency, such as the Bureau of Land Management (as is being proposed in this case), and may permit some activities or uses that are not allowed in national parks. These can include dispersed camping, existing mining and grazing, hunting, rockhounding, and driving off-road vehicles on designated routes or in areas set aside for that purpose.
Local community members or tribes often suggest places to protect as national monuments, and either Congress through legislation, or the President via the Antiquities Act, can make it happen.
In the Amargosa, we have a special opportunity to piece together and conserve a landscape that holds a variety of currently disconnected, patchwork designations: wilderness areas (nearly a dozen), the Amargosa Wild & Scenic River, the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, areas of national conservation lands, and areas of critical environmental concern. This is an opportunity to build upon an existing legacy of conservation, while integrating tribal knowledge, elevating community concerns, and protecting the land while simultaneously preserving recreational access.
In this way, we can create a sustainable future for generations to come! Come out and discover this special landscape for yourself and learn why it deserves the uplifted status of a national monument designation.
We are excited and appreciative to have earned the trust and support of Inyo County, multiple Tribal Nations, and community members, and look forward to working with everyone on a long-term, bottom-up vision for public lands in the Amargosa Basin.
FAB in the news – Read articles covering our recent achievements linked below:
- San Francisco Chronicle – California’s next national monument could be dramatic desert landscape
- Inyo Register – Amargosa Basin could become monument
