President Biden on Tuesday established Chuckwalla National Monument in California/BLM file

Editor's note: This updates with additional information on what's being protected and adds comment from National Parks Conservation Association President and CEO Theresa Pierno.

More than 600,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management lands in southern California near Joshua Tree National Park on Tuesday were designated as Chuckwalla National Monument by President Biden.

The Colorado and Mojave deserts converge on the 624,000 acres protected by the president through his use of The Antiquities Act. Covering an area south of the border of Joshua Tree National Park, the landscape is an ecologically rich and unique area, home to desert tortoise, kit foxes, golden eagles, and the monument’s namesake — chuckwalla lizards. There are numerous tribal sacred sites in the area that would be protected from disturbance as well.

The landscape bridges the gap between Joshua Tree and the Colorado River, protecting critical wildlife habitat, connecting migration corridors and preserving centuries of cultural history.

"The stunning canyons and winding paths of the Chuckwalla National Monument represent a true unmatched beauty. It was my honor to visit this area to explore and meet with federal, state, tribal and local leaders to hear about the need to protect and conserve this sacred area,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. “President Biden’s action today will protect important spiritual and cultural values tied to the land and wildlife. I am so grateful that future generations will have the opportunity to experience what makes this area so unique.”

The lands within the new national monument are part of the ancestral homelands of numerous Indigenous communities, including the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan, and Maara’yam peoples (Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan and Serrano Nations) and include ancient trail systems that people continue to travel today by foot and through songs passed down across generations. The area contains an abundance of artifacts including ceramics, tools, habitation sites, and petroglyphs. Many of the region's native plants were gathered for food, including mesquite and ironwood seeds, wild grasses, and cacti.  

“Chuckwalla National Monument is a cornerstone in a vast network of protected landscapes across the Southwest. Stretching from Joshua Tree to the Grand Canyon to Bears Ears, this corridor forms the largest swath of protected lands in the continental U.S.,” said Pierno. “This designation protects an extraordinary stretch of the California desert, preserving a landscape shaped by millennia for those who find inspiration in the timeless beauty of our national parks.”

She added that "[T]his 18-million-acre corridor links the Mojave Desert to the Colorado Plateau, providing safe migration routes for wildlife like the iconic desert bighorn sheep and ensuring clean water flows through the Colorado River and its tributaries. It protects sacred sites central to tribal nations for countless generations, and welcomes millions of visitors each year, inspiring exploration and bringing lasting economic strength to surrounding communities."

While there has been past legislation that called for both the national monument and an expansion of Joshua Tree, the president lacks the authority to expand the national park directly. NPCA says expansion of Joshua Tree "to restore a key piece that was historically a part of the park area remains a vital next step for a more connected and resilient desert landscape. Congress now has an opportunity to ensure that Joshua Tree National Park is made whole once again."

It's expected that the monument will remain under the BLM and not be transferred to the National Park Service.

Biden was also expected to announce the designation of Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California, a 200,000-acre chunk of land near the Oregon border. The local Pit River Tribe has long fought energy development in the region and has pushed for the creation of a national monument to protect that landscape.