A new piece of legislation has been introduced by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-California), known as the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. Under this legislation, 90,000 acres of land in Death Valley National Park would become officially designated wilderness, as well as creating a buffer of national monuments around parts of Joshua Tree National Park.
Proposed yesterday, it would establish the 941,000-acre “Mojave Trails National Monument” and be located between Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. Additionally, it would create the “Sand to Snow National Monument,” acting as a buffer between Joshua Tree and San Bernadino National Forest. Plus, the 90,000 acres that would be designated as wilderness in the bill would increase the park’s size by over 40,000 acres.
The bill is backed by the NPCA; Michael Cipra, the California Desert program manager of the NPCA said that “our desert parks are places of remarkable beauty, rich cultural history, and profound ecological importance,” and that “historic trails teach us about our collective past.”
Not only is this bit of legislation good news for conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts, but the local economy will benefit as well. Tourists bring in over $100 million each year into the area which helps to provide over 2,500 jobs to locals.
To read the full write-up of the legislation, check out the article on National Parks Traveler.
