Aventura — President Biden announces new National Monuments

by Aventura on April 19, 2023

One of the largest Joshua tree forests is now under federal protection.

On March 21, 2023, President Joe Biden designated two new national monuments: Avi Kwa Ame in southern Nevada and Castner Range in west Texas. These monuments protect over half a million acres of land from development. The president also directed the Secretary of Commerce to consider making the area around the Pacific Remote Islands a National Marine Sanctuary.

Avi Kwa Ame National Monument covers over 500,000 acres and includes a large Joshua tree forest. It connects the Mojave Desert with the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and other protected areas. The area is sacred to several Indigenous tribes, including the Mojave, Chemehuevi, and some Southern Paiute people. The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe has been advocating for its protection for over two decades.

Castner Range, located outside El Paso, Texas, covers over 6,000 acres and was a training and testing site for the U.S. Army during several wars. It is home to a diverse array of desert species and provides important habitat for wildlife.

President Biden's recent conservation efforts have been criticized due to the approval of a large oil drilling project in Alaska. The White House press secretary explained that the decision was made due to legal constraints.

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