Condor Ridge Sunset Over Serpentine
Photo credit: Bob Wick
March 7, Sacramento, Calif. – Today, area Tribal and conservation leaders applauded U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) for reintroducing the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act, which would permanently protect part of Molok Luyuk (Condor Ridge) adjacent to the existing Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California.
The expansion of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument would safeguard public lands that are sacred to the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and that are critically important to protect in the face of a changing climate. The legislation would add 3,925 acres to the current monument, support tribal co-management, and change the name of the additional wildlands from “Walker Ridge” to Molok Luyuk—Patwin for “Condor Ridge”—a name the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation provided.
“Many of the plant and animal species within Molok Luyuk are traditionally important to the lifeways of the Patwin people, and we consider their protection and stewardship to be part of our sacred responsibility to the land,” said the Tribal Council of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. “Molok Luyuk, or Condor Ridge in the Patwin language, was home to California Condors as well as Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, and Peregrine Falcons, and provides wildlife corridors and vital habitat for other culturally important species. The recent reintroduction of the California Condor to the north of Molok Luyuk gives hope that condors will once again soar over the ridge.”
The current monument stretches from Napa County in the south to Mendocino County in the north, encompassing 330,780 acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). President Obama designated the national monument in 2015, responding to a call from Representatives Thompson and Garamendi, then-Senator Barbara Boxer, other members of California’s Congressional delegation, and community leaders to permanently protect these lands.
The bill reintroduction reflects growing momentum for the effort to protect additional public lands around the monument. Last fall, legislative leaders joined the call from Tribal and community leaders for President Biden to expand the national monument using his authority under the Antiquities Act. The Antiquities Act is a 1906 law that grants presidents the ability to designate federal public lands, waters, and cultural and historical sites as national monuments to permanently conserve them.
“Molok Luyuk is a special and sacred place for area Tribes and for many local residents who enjoy recreation activities like hiking and mountain biking,” added Lake County Supervisor E.J. Crandell, a member of the Robinson Rancheria Tribe. “The natural beauty of our home also drives tourism, which is key to the economic vitality of the region. Protecting these beautiful lands would be a gift to future generations.”
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, which strongly supports the expansion, has a long and significant connection to Molok Luyuk, stretching back thousands of years. The ridge includes areas where religious ceremonies are practiced and sites that were central to vital trading routes. A key goal of this effort is also to establish co-management with federally recognized Tribes and to return to an Indigenous name for these lands.
Molok Luyok is located on the eastern edge of the existing monument and is home to great biodiversity, including oak woodlands, rocky outcroppings, wildflower meadows, the world’s largest stand of McNab cypress, and dozens of rare plant species.
“Molok Luyuk is a ‘must protect’ area in the midst of a changing climate,” said Mary Creasman, chief executive officer, California Environmental Voters. “These public lands serve as a critical wildlife corridor for species such as tule elk, mountain lions and bears. It’s also home to imperiled wildlife such as bald and golden eagles and many rare plants. Protecting this habitat would help preserve critically important biodiversity.”
The proposed national monument expansion would improve outdoor access for the region’s residents and help the state of California and the federal government meet their shared goals to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030 as part of the international effort to address the impacts of climate change and alarming rates of extinction.
“Molok Luyuk is a rare treasure of rich cultural heritage and sacred history, diverse wildlife and rare plants, and stunning natural beauty and accessible recreational activities,” said Sandra Schubert, executive director of Tuleyome, a regional conservation organization. “We are deeply grateful to our Congressional champions Reps. Garamendi and Thompson and Sens. Padilla and Feinstein for shepherding this effort. We encourage President Biden to expand the existing monument and permanently protect Molok Luyuk.”
Incorporating the adjacent federally owned land into the existing national monument would improve land management, bring additional resources for trail construction and maintenance, help improve public access, and protect sensitive wildlife, prime habitat areas, and cultural resources. Improving the public’s access to nature, especially for historically marginalized communities, is an important goal for the State of California, as reflected in Gov. Newsom’s October 2020 Executive Order N-82-20 and the State’s Outdoors for All initiative.
“Nature can be such a valuable reprieve for so many, yet there continue to be deep inequities in access to the outdoors,” said Shanna Edberg, Conservation Program director for the Hispanic Access Foundation. “In fact, our research found that in California, Latinos and other people of color are two times more likely to be deprived of nearby nature than white people. Protecting Molok Luyuk will help to ensure equitable access to the outdoors in a county where 22% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.”
Popular recreation activities on these lands include hiking, mountain biking, photography, camping, horseback riding, and off highway vehicle (OHV) use on designated routes.
“As an avid OHV recreationist, I strongly support expanding Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to include Molok Luyuk,” said Don Amador, Government Affairs, American Motorcyclist Association District 36. “The permanent protection of Molok Luyuk will improve the management of these lands and increase public access to recreation opportunities. This is a win-win for our community and I add my voice in support of expanding the monument.”
In October, President Biden created his first national monument: the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument in Colorado.
“Our national monuments are a part of our country’s outdoor heritage and must be passed down to future generations,” said Janessa Goldbeck, Chief Executive Officer of Vet Voice Foundation. “Veterans advocated for the designation of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and we’re proud to support the expansion of the monument to include Molok Luyuk."
To learn more about this effort and to sign a petition in support of the expansion of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, visit www.expandberryessa.org.
