California's Mojave Trails: Desert Protections "Important for Wildlife"

The Mojave Trails area—one of several proposed California desert national monuments—is perfectly positioned to serve as a wildlife corridor between the local marine base, the Mojave Preserve area, and Joshua Tree National Park.

"Protecting wildlife corridors is an important piece of the monuments," says Sarah Kennington, president of the Morongo Basin Conservation Association. Designating these monuments, she says, "will create this continuity of corridor that will be really important for the wildlife."

Californians and other Americans—as well as visitors from all over the world—have long been drawn to the California desert's painted mountains, diverse wildlife, Native American petroglyphs, and rich history.

Now we have a historic opportunity to protect special places in the California desert that hold extraordinary historical, cultural, ecological, and economic value. After working for nearly a decade on legislative efforts to protect the California Desert, we are turning to President Obama to designate the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains areas as national monuments.

More videos and facts on U.S. wilderness conservation: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/americas-wilderness