Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains, the three new national monuments designated by President Obama are his 20th, 21st, and 22nd, making a total of 3.5 million acres of new protections for public lands under the president. This is Obama’s largest designation to date and comes at a meaningful moment in the National Park’s centennial year, reports Jenny Rowland.
In addition the cultural and historical significance to many, including Native Americans, all of these new monuments include important habitat for desert wildlife including mountain lions, tortoise, bighorn sheep, and golden eagles.
