Tweet“We applaud today’s action by the Biden administration to establish Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and safeguard land that is rich in environmental and cultural value. A designation of this scale is a tremendous victory during a biodiversity crisis, especially for the embattled desert tortoise whose populations continue to decline because of habitat loss.”
Defenders of Wildlife applauded President Biden for establishing Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in southern Nevada. This national monument, also known as “Spirit Mountain,” protects nearly 380,000 acres of sacred tribal and biologically significant lands in the Mojave Desert, some of which historically has been sought for large-scale energy development. This designation also links key desert tortoise habitat in Nevada and California and creates important wildlife corridors for bighorn sheep.
“We applaud today’s action by the Biden administration to establish Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and safeguard land that is rich in environmental and cultural value,” said Monica Goldberg, vice president of Landscape Conservation for Defenders of Wildlife. “A designation of this scale is a tremendous victory during a biodiversity crisis, especially for the embattled desert tortoise whose populations continue to decline because of habitat loss.”
Avi Kwa Ame plays an important role in helping to conserve our nation’s biodiversity by protecting critical habitat for the desert tortoise, migratory pathways for bighorn sheep and migratory birds, and numerous rare and threatened plants, including Joshua trees, that are being evaluated for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter @Defenders.
