在美国旅行时, it’s impossible not to marvel at the immense amount of nature contained within our borders. From soaring peaks to rushing rivers 和 rugged coastlines to stunning beaches, the diverse ecosystems leave onlookers with a deep sense of awe 和 respect for the natural world around us.
This jaw-dropping admiration has been made possible, not just by the geological 和 evolutionary process that have shaped our l和scape, 也得益于过去几代人的远见卓识, who have recognized the need to set aside special places for conservation. 如果没有保护, we wouldn’t be able to experience the rock formations, 峡谷, 自然拱, 史前文物, fossils 和 hundreds of species in Utah’s Gr和 Staircase-Escalante. Generations of Americans would also be deprived of the opportunity to climb, hike 和 view ancient cliff dwellings 和 cave art in Bear Ears, 也在犹他州. 为了纳瓦霍民族, 霍皮人部落, 乌特印第安部落, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 和 Pueblo of Zuni— all of which encouraged President Barack Obama to designate Bears Ears’ 1.35 million acres as a national monument -- their sacred l和s would be decimated without safeguards.
全国各地的, similar intervention has been needed for New Engl和’s Northeast Canyons 和 Seamounts, 哪个是水下奇迹. While most Americans will not experience this wild ocean space, 知道我们保护了鲸鱼的天堂, 海豚, 海星和黑珊瑚应该让我们感到骄傲.
Presidents Bill Clinton 和 Obama recognized these areas’ importance when they designated them national monuments.
But over the past few years, the future of these important areas was put in jeopardy. In 2017, President Donald Trump used the Antiquities Act in an unprecedented way to drastically shrink the boundaries of 熊耳国家纪念碑 和 大楼梯-埃斯卡兰特国家纪念碑. Not only was this decision environmentally irresponsible, it defied public opinion. 98%的人打破了纪录.800万条公众评论.S. Interior Department asked the federal government to maintain or exp和 protections for these 和 the other national monuments that were under review by the Trump administration.
然后, in 2020, President Trump rolled back protections against commercial fishing within the Northeast Canyons 和 Seamounts Marine National Monument, once again threatening the delicate ecological balance of this hotspot for ocean life.
Thankfully, Americans would not accept these decisions. 自特朗普政府以来 首先采取措施 消除对这些神奇地方的保护, Environment America’s national network mobilized the public 和 generated more than 436,给决策者的700条信息, helping to turn the tide in favor of preservation.
In 2018, a field organizing team kicked into gear to ensure that 新增10个纪念碑 并没有被送上断头台. 我们动员了亚利桑那州的活动家, 加州, Colorado 和 New Mexico to build public support for retaining protection for the monuments in those states, 收集数以千计的请愿书, getting media coverage 和 organizing hikes in the monuments.
Colorado activists at Browns Canyon National Monument
And when the Biden administration came into office, one of our 第一次请求 was that it restore protections for the Northeast Canyons 和 Seamounts. And we quickly followed that request by organizing the public to call for full restorations for both Utah monuments. 继续争取公众的支持, we generated digital petitions to the Department of the Interior; organized a “满足纪念碑” webinar for members of the public to learn more about all three monuments; published an 评论文章 calling for the restoration of the Northeast Canyons 和 Seamounts’ protections; 和 met with Department of the Interior staff to make the case for reinstating safeguards. 我们并不孤单. 几十个印第安部落, 环保倡导者, aquariums 和 outdoor recreation groups mobilized their supporters to call on the Biden administration to act.
结果是:拜登总统现在做到了 恢复 protections for Bears Ears, Gr和 Staircase-Escalante 和 the Northeast Canyons 和 Seamounts.
Our country has a long history of ensuring ‘America the Beautiful’ exists for generations to come. 我们可以放心，熊耳朵, Gr和 Staircase-Escalante 和 the Northeast Canyons 和 Seamounts will remain a part of that lasting legacy. And because all three of these monuments protect biodiversity 和 critical habitat, 这一胜利将有助于美国.S. move closer to protecting 30% of our important l和s 和 waters. We need more nature 和 President Biden’s actions for these areas have brought us closer to a country with more opportunities to preserve 和 enjoy nature for today, 明天和后代.