By Isobel Nairn and Liv O’Keeffe
Thanks to all of you who have been calling your representatives, attending rallies, and speaking out for California public lands across your social media channels. It’s making a difference!
- On March 1, an estimated 433 gatherings took place across 433 parks sites nationwide to protest the mass federal layoffs of public lands workers. Since then, many of these layoffs have been suspended or reversed.
- On Monday, more than 20,000 people flooded Rep. Kevin Kiley’s virtual town hall – maybe you were one of them!
- On Wednesday, the 30×30 Power in Nature Coalition held more than 70 meetings with California legislative offices to advocate for 30×30 and California’s public lands and coastal waters.
- Now, this Saturday, March 22, Californians are gathering across the state for rallies and teach-ins at national public lands near you. One that is likely to be very popular will be the Palm Springs rally for Chuckwalla National Monument. Stop by the Downtown Park in Palm Springs between 10am-2pm to support Chuckwalla and learn more about your local public lands. If you’re in the area, we hope you’ll attend!
What’s happening with California’s newest national monuments?
Late last Friday, the White House issued a fact sheet indicating plans to rescind the January designations of Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands National Monuments, but the language referencing the monuments was removed by the next day. As of today, the monuments remain intact, and California leaders from both sides of the aisle are communicating strong, cross-cutting support for these special places. In the coming weeks and months, it will be important for anyone who values public lands to stand up for them.
As we wrote in our recent blog post about ongoing federal actions, public lands are facing a multi-pronged attack, ranging from the confusion over federal layoffs and funding freezes to various Department of Interior, White House, and Congressional actions. We expect these threats to continue, but we feel hopeful California can stand strong.
Why is CNPS so focused on public lands?
Public land protection is one of the best ways to safeguard native plants and habitat in California, and nearly half of California’s public lands are managed by the federal government. When we achieve long-lasting conservation through initiatives like 30x30CA or national monument designations, we give endangered species and sensitive habitats a fighting chance of survival. Last year alone, Tribes, local communities, businesses, organizations like CNPS, and government officials worked together to protect more than 1 million acres in California.
5 minutes to take action
If you haven’t already, please call or email your Congressional representatives and ask them to stand up strong for California public lands, including our newest national monuments. You can also leave comments on your representatives’ Instagram or Facebook pages. Find out who represents you in Congress. Or, reach out to your California state representatives, available here.
Thank you for all you do! Now more than ever, California’s native plants and places need your voice.
