Largest Conservation Corridor In US Designated: 18M acres

President Biden's designation of the largest corridor of federally protected land, including the Chuckwalla National Monument, marks a significant milestone in conservation efforts. This move expands the largest protected landscape in the US, covering nearly 18 million acres stretching approximately 600 miles. The Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor protects wildlife habitat and natural and cultural resources along the Colorado River, across the Colorado Plateau, and into the deserts of California.

The conservation benefits of this designation are multifaceted. It safeguards critical habitat for imperiled and rare species, such as the desert bighorn sheep, Agassiz's desert tortoise, and the iconic Chuckwalla lizard. The protected area also preserves sacred cultural landscapes and ancestral homelands of Tribal Nations, including the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano Nations.

This designation will also have a positive impact on protecting local waterways. The Chuckwalla National Monument, located just south of Joshua Tree National Park, will safeguard clean water for more than 40 million people by protecting the Colorado River region. Additionally, the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in northern California will conserve a diverse array of natural and scientific resources, including underground aquifers that are essential for protecting and storing clean water for Northern California communities.