Sonoran desert treasure: Kw’tsan National Monument
The Sonoran desert in Southern California is the ancestral homeland of the Yuma Quechan Tribe, who have requested a national monument to protect this area.
The Sonoran Desert area known as Kw’tsan in California’s Imperial County should be designated as a National Monument. Not only does this land contain important ecological features such as mountains, peaks, and rivers, it also is the ancestral homelands of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe. Protecting this area ensures the continued protection of these valuable public lands and the preservation of cultural heritage.
The proposed Kw’tsán National Monument is a 390,000 acre portion of land in the Sonoran Desert that is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It includes important areas such as Indian Pass Area, Picacho Peak Wilderness Area and the Chocolate Mountains. The proposed monument area also shares a border with the Colorado River, an essential water source. Designating this area as a national monument would permanently protect this crucial water supply and the long term health of the river ecosystem and the communities that rely on it.
Additionally, this landscape is a critical habitat for countless birds, animals, insects, and other species. These species include the woodhouse toads, desert tortoises, Yuma kingsnakes and coyotes native to this area. Designating the Kw’tsán National Monument would provide the necessary protections to ensure that these species are able to continue to thrive in this diverse and unique environment. It would safeguard the landscape that many important plant species rely on such as the desert agave, desert milkweed, yellow palo verde, saguaro cactus and many more. These species all play a unique and important role in maintaining the ecological well-being of the Imperial Valley.
Designating the Kw’tsán National Monument supports the Tribe’s longstanding efforts to preserve their ancestral homelands and ensure that future generations are able to carry on the Tribe’s cultural traditions. We support the request of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe and we urge President Biden to designate the Kw’tsán National Monument.
Topics
Authors
Laura Deehan
State Director, Environment California Research & Policy Center
Laura directs Environment California’s work to tackle global warming, protect the ocean, and stand up for clean air, clean water and open spaces. Laura served on the Environment California board for two years before stepping into the state director role. Most recently, she directed the public health program for CALPIRG, another organization in The Public Interest Network, where she led campaigns to get lead out of school drinking water and toxic chemicals out of cosmetics. Prior to that, Laura ran Environment California citizen outreach offices across the state and, as the Environment California field director, she led campaigns to get California to go solar, ban single use plastic grocery bags, and go 100 percent renewable. Laura lives with her family in Richmond, California, where she enjoys hiking, yoga and baking.
Ellen Montgomery
Director, Great Outdoors Campaign, Environment America
Ellen runs campaigns to protect America's beautiful places, from local beachfronts to remote mountain peaks. She sits on the Steering Committee of the Arctic Defense Campaign and co-coordinates the Climate Forests Campaign. Ellen previously worked as the organizing director for Environment America’s Climate Defenders campaign and managed grassroots campaign offices across the country. Ellen lives in Denver, where she likes to hike in Colorado's mountains.
Riley Martel-Phillips
Conservation Intern
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