Conservationist Frazier Haney drove with intent on Skeleton Pass Road, a dirt byway that stretched miles ahead to somewhere beyond the horizon in the Mojave Trails National Monument. As he cruised through the Fenner Valley, Haney remarked that the four-wheel-drive Chevy Suburban felt more like a boat at sea because of the vast, uninterrupted landscape all around him.

People from around the world visit our California deserts for adventure and exploration. Since their designation, our three Mojave monuments have created countless opportunities for the outdoor recreation and education industries.

Among the national monuments in Southern California, Mojave Trails in San Bernardino County appears to be most at risk, according to Danielle Segura, executive director of the Mojave Desert Land Trus

Conservationist Frazier Haney drove with intent on Skeleton Pass Road, a dirt byway that stretched miles ahead to somewhere beyond the horizon in the Mojave Trails National Monument. As he cruised through the Fenner Valley, Haney remarked that the four-wheel-drive Chevy Suburban felt more like a boat at sea because of the vast, uninterrupted landscape all around him.

President Trump aimed to dismantle part of our nation’s heritage when he called recently for a 120-day review of national monument designations since 1996. This egregious order is an affront to our country’s history and an attack on the protected lands in our backyard, including Mojave Trails and Sand to Snow National Monuments.

On Monday, May 8, Mojave Desert Land Trust hosted a rally in Joshua Tree to oppose “federal attacks on the California desert national monuments.” The group said about 160 people attended the rally. “It’s up to all of us to make sure these monuments remain protected,” Danielle Segura, the trust’s executive director said in the statement.