Public Lands

Chuckwalla National Monument

Protecting California's stunning desert landscapes
A Verdin perches in a cactus Photo: Marti Phillips/Audubon Photography Awards
A Verdin perches in a cactus Photo: Marti Phillips/Audubon Photography Awards
Public Lands

Chuckwalla National Monument

Protecting California's stunning desert landscapes

The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument (and an expansion of the adjacent Joshua Tree National Park) would encompass some 627,000 acres of vital public land in the Southern California desert. At the junction of the Mojave, Sonoran and Colorado Deserts, the region holds an astonishing biodiversity, home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, American badgers, desert pupfish and a host of other rare and endangered animals. Iconic bird species like Golden Eagles, Verdin, and Greater Roadrunners rely on the habitat provided by the Chuckwalla area. Petroglyphs on the rocks surrounding the palm-fringed oases within the proposed boundaries attest that the area has been a special place to the ancestors of the local Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mohave, Quechan, and Serrano peoples for some 10,000 years. This is clearly land worth protecting.

Explore Chuckwalla

Audubon is co-leading a coalition with more than a dozen Tribes, organizations, and community partners aiming to conserve these stunningly beautiful desert landscapes, backing proposed legislation to designate this unique region of palm oases, rocky mountain ranges, and lush desert woodlands in Imperial and Riverside Counties.

The designation would help:

  • Safeguard critical biodiversity,
  • Protect the sacred places of local Tribes,
  • Boost the local economy, and
  • Provide equitable access for local communities and future generations. 

A national monument designation would increase badly-needed access to nature for residents of the Eastern Coachella and Imperial Valleys, as well stimulate the economies of local communities as outdoor enthusiasts come to the area for hiking, picnicking, stargazing and recreational off-highway vehicle opportunities. The proposed protected area – named for a resident potbellied, oversized lizard -- fits within the goals of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), an agreement between various California and federal agencies which identifies areas suitable for renewable energy development, as well as lands worthy of protection.

Related

Chuckwalla National Monument FAQ
Conservation

Chuckwalla National Monument FAQ

A special place in the California desert

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Audubon CA joined Tribal Leaders, Elected Officials, and Residents to Support a Chuckwalla National Monument at DOI Listening Session 
Press Center

Audubon CA joined Tribal Leaders, Elected Officials, and Residents to Support a Chuckwalla National Monument at DOI Listening Session 

More than 700 supporters attended to urge protection of this unique California desert region for biodiversity, cultural heritage, economic benefits, and more.

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Audubon CA Thanks Secretary Haaland for Visit to Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument
Press Center

Audubon CA Thanks Secretary Haaland for Visit to Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument

Coalition urged the protection of region's biodiverse desert land for local communities and future generations

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Effort to Proclaim Chuckwalla National Monument Accelerates with Announcement of Bicameral Legislation
Press Center

There's Momentum in DC to Designate the Chuckwalla National Monument!

Audubon and broad coalition of Tribal, community and conservation organizations call for protection of more than 620,000 acres of California desert

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Securing a home for birds at the Salton Sea
Salton Sea

Securing a home for birds at the Salton Sea

Audubon California is helping shape the future of the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake and a key stopover for millions of birds each year.

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Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan
Wildlife-friendly Renewable Energy

Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

The plan, also known as DRECP, will protect our deserts while fighting against climate change.

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Public Lands

Chuckwalla Desert Bird Ambassadors

Meet the charismatic avifauna of the Chuckwalla Desert.

How you can help, right now