[Native American tribes are leading] (/news/indigenous-tribes-lead-push-for-three-new-national-monuments-in-california) efforts to establish three new national monuments across California, urging President Biden to act before his term ends. The proposed designations would protect over 1.2 million acres of culturally and ecologically significant lands from development activities like mining, drilling, and logging.
The largest proposed site is the Chuckwalla national monument, spanning more than 620,000 acres from the Coachella Valley to the Colorado River. The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians and allied tribes are championing this initiative, which includes expanding [Joshua Tree National Park] (/travel-and-tourism/joshua-tree-national-park) by nearly 18,000 acres.
In California's southeastern corner, the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe is advocating for the 390,000-acre Kw'tsán national monument. This area would extend along the Colorado River and the Mexican border. Meanwhile, in [Northern California] (/travel-and-tourism/california-oregon-washington-map), the Pit River Nation seeks protection for roughly 200,000 acres of ancestral territory in the Sáttítla (Medicine Lake Highlands), known for its distinctive volcanic landscapes.