Ask President Clinton to protect California's priceless landscapes as National Monuments
Across the State of California, unique ecosystems remain open to logging, mining, road building, off-road vehicles, and other development. Faced with a hostile, anti-wilderness Congress, grassroots groups across the nation are turning to President Clinton for help. There are a variety of proposals for designating National Monuments in California, but no concerted state-wide effort to protect ALL of the areas in need...until now.
Under the Antiquities Act of 1906, President Clinton has the authority to grant protected status by declaring an area a National Monument. This is the same legal authority that was used to protect the Grand Canyon, Death Valley and recently, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah's Red Rock Wilderness.
Act now!
We need your help to shore up these National Monument proposals. Some have already been designated by the Clinton administration, but others haven't. Now is our opportunity! Please write a letter to President Clinton asking him to confer National Monument status on ALL of the following areas:
* The Carrizo Plain: One of California's most stunning wildlife strongholds and the largest remaining example of the once vast Central Valley prairie habitat.
* Soda Mountain: A 38,000-acre ecological transition zone on the California-Oregon border, this area is home to dozens of sensitive plants and animals, including the northern spotted owl, mountain lady slipper, Greene's Mariposa lily, redband trout, bald eagle, dwarf Klamath small-scale sucker, fisher, marten, and others. Fossil beds and impressive rock formations are also found here.
* Medicine Lake: One of California's most spectacular volcanic regions with abundant wildlife and a rich Native American cultural history.
* Santa Rosa: The Santa Rosa National Monument would encompass the currently unprotected Pyramid Peak roadless area, as well as the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa wilderness areas. Palm Canyon runs north-south through the entire area. Endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep live in the northeast portion, and the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail runs through the areas on the western boundary.
* Giant Sequoia Groves: With lifespans over 3000 years, the Giant Sequoias are the largest trees on the planet. These magnificent ancient giants grow in only 75 groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. On February 15, President Clinton asked Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman to look into the possibility of creating a Giant Sequoia National Monument. Tell Clinton that you support a Giant Sequoia National Monument that would encompass the remaining Giant Sequoia groves and the 400,000 acres of surrounding watersheds managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
* Pinnacles National Monument addition. President Clinton has conferred National Monument status upon an additional 8,000 acres. Thank Clinton for protecting this addition to the Pinnacle National Monument.
* Rocks and Islands/California Coastal Monument. President Clinton has conferred National Monument status upon approximately 7,000 rocks and small islands within 12 miles of the California coast. These provide habitat for a variety of species, from the sea lions and seals to the brown pelican. Thank Clinton for protecting this important habitat.
Please send your letter as soon as possible to: President Clinton, The White House, Washington, D.C. 20500
Or fax your letter to: (202) 456-2461
Or send an e-mail message to: president@whitehouse.gov
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Just three miles off of Interstate 80, 
