Help us Defend California National Monuments! |
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You may have seen the news over the weekend (NYT, WaPo, Desert Sun) suggesting that President Trump appears poised to rescind Chuckwalla and Sattitla Highlands National Monuments. Given the uncertainty around California's latest National Monuments, now is a great time for supporters to double down: we cannot wait to let them hear from us. These two monuments together conserve 848,000 acres of lands in California and protect clean water for communities, honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, and enhance access to nature. Our Representatives need to convey the strong bipartisan support for National Monuments in California. We need to remind them that not only was said support here when the people of California pushed for these Monuments, it is STILL here, and not going anywhere!
We need to ensure that key Congressionals such as Rep. Jay Obernolte are receiving large volumes of visible strong opposition and objection from constituents on potential rollbacks of Chuckwalla and Sattitla Highlands National Monuments. |
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Constituents in Rep. Obernolte's district (above) are encouraged to call, write, or meet with his office to mention your support for National Monuments and your opposition to potential rollbacks of the Chuckwalla and Sattitla Highlands National Monuments. Call the Congressman's Office:
Call (202)-225-5861 Write to Congressman Obernolte: |
Meet with Obernolte's Staff: | |
Social Media for Good
Whether you are in Rep. Obernolte's district or not, we encourage National Monument supporters to mobilize on social media. Leaving comments on Rep. Obernolte's social media comments is a quick and easy way to show public involvement. Additionally, as comments on social media are public, they can also help educate and mobilize others to do the same. |
If you or others you know live near national monuments, go on site or to similar locations and film short Direct to Camera (selfie) videos that you post to your personal Instagram account. Your video should come from you in a personal way (as a Mom or angler or multi-generational community member, etc.) and should address common values shared in your community, such as family memories, jobs, and benefits to the local economy. (If you live in Calvert, Obernolte, or LaMalfa’s districts please tag them in your post, and tag @ResistanceRangers in all posts.)
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Meanwhile, Nevada Representative Mark Amodei and Utah Representative Celeste Maloy, along with Utah Senator Mike Lee, have introduced bills (H.R. 521 and S. 220) that would eliminate any president's ability to designate new national monuments. We need to tell Congress not to dismantle a century-old conservation tool, the Antiquities Act, which has been used by presidents of both parties to protect natural and historic treasures. |
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What to say in your comments? |
Make your comments personal to you. What motivates you to speak for public lands? What do you love about National Monuments, and why do you want to keep them as National Monuments?
Here are a few ideas that may help you get inspired: - National Monuments are important to me and my community because…
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You should reject any attempts to roll back these popular designations.
- These monuments honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples.
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Public lands provide valuable ecosystem services like clean air and water, are a large source of government revenue, form the foundation of the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, and are instrumental to the well-being of local communities across the country. Counties with national parks or national monuments support above-average rates of job growth and are correlated with higher levels of per capita income.
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National monuments like Chuckwalla provide important places for Americans to hike, hunt, rockhound, ride OHVs, camp, and more. They are valued by people of many backgrounds.
- These protections are very popular and broadly supported across communities.
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Public lands and national monuments aren’t partisan.
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Donate to Friends of the Inyo
Friends of the Inyo has not been exempt from nationwide funding cuts to non-profits. With ranger staffing reduced by Trump's administration, our public lands need help from non-profit trail staff now more than ever. In 2024, Friends of the Inyo's Trail Ambassadors played a crucial role in stewarding the public land of the Eastern Sierra by restoring 665 miles of trails, packing out 3,715 pounds of trash, cleaning 293 campsites, engaging 222 volunteers, and educating thousands of visitors on Leave No Trace principles in each of the five Ranger Districts in the Inyo National Forest. This year, we are forced to reduce this staffing to cover 3-4 out of the 5 Ranger Districts. Please donate to help ensure Friends of the Inyo's Trail Ambassador staff can continue to provide on the ground work in partnership with the Forest Service to protect our beautiful lands in the Eastern Sierra.
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Volunteer with Friends of the Inyo Give back to the land and help support public land managers in this difficult time. Sign up to our Volunteer email newsletter to be notified of land stewardship volunteer opportunities. |
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Main Office: 621 W. Line St., Suite 201
Bishop, CA 93514
Satellite Office: 142 E. Bush St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545
Visit us online: FriendsoftheInyo.org
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Call us:
(760) 873-6500 Like and follow us on social media: |
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