Why the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains - less than an hour from downtown Los Angeles – are Southern California’s recreation backyard.
To protect them, we are building support to create a national recreation area in the mountains while also protecting wilderness and wild rivers. These two things will help protect the forest and bring better visitor services, such as more rangers and better trail maintenance.
More than 17 million people live near this rugged range stretching across two of the nation’s most popular national forests. The San Gabriel Mountains are home to alpine forests, chaparral hills, clear trout-filled streams and the often snow-capped 10,068-foot Mt. Baldy, L.A. County’s tallest peak.
Why San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains are within an hour’s drive of more than 17 million people making the area Southern California’s backyard.
Most of the range is in the Angeles National Forest. This forest gives Los Angeles County:
- More than one-third of its drinking water
- More than 70 percent of its open space
- Scenic and critical habitat
Work We’re Doing
As lead members of the diverse partnership San Gabriel Mountains Forever, we are working to build support for a national recreation area in the San Gabriel Mountains and to preserve wilderness and wild rivers.
National Recreation Area
Imagine a 600,000-acre recreation area (three times bigger than New York City) that improves the Angeles National Forest and offers park-poor lower river urban areas with:
- More visitor services like trail signs
- Education programs
- More rangers
Wilderness and Wild Rivers
San Gabriel Mountains Forever is also focused on:
- Protecting 36,000 acres of additional wilderness
- Preserving 44 miles of rivers and creeks as wild and scenic
These public wildlands are beautiful scenic areas that are also important wildlife habitats and drinking water sources.
Our partners
We are leading San Gabriel Mountains Forever (SGMF), a diverse partnership that is working to preserve the mountains and improve recreational opportunities.
San Gabriel Mountains Forever members include:
- Residents and cities
- Faith and community leaders
- Health and social service organizations
- Businesses
- Conservation groups
See also:
Helpful links
- San Gabriel Mountains Forever:
http://www.sangabrielmountains.org
- San Gabriel Mountains Forever Facebook Campaign:
mywilderness
Hear artists, activists and adventurers share what the ownership and legacy of these American wildlands means to them.
Why Wilderness
Wilderness is a precious resource with many human, natural and economic benefits that we need to protect.
WildAlerts
Be the first to hear about important campaigns, victories and features related to enjoying and protecting wilderness by joining our email and mobile WildAlert network.
Friday, May 24, 2013The U.S. Coast Guard began multi-day investigatory hearings on May 20 into Royal Dutch Shell's drilling rig the Kulluk, which went aground near Kodiak Island, Alaska, last New Year’s Eve.
Thursday, May 23, 2013Which is why this week legislation that would protect these lands was introduced yet again, granting these lands another opportunity for well-deserved recognition and conservation.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013Yet, here we are, with people and the government unable to stop furloughs, job losses, and lower revenue to keep the government functioning. Our public lands have certainly not been spared from this indiscriminate budget ax.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013But Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski refused to accept that decision. She and residents of the tiny community of King Cove are fighting to have the decision overturned.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013Birdwatchers travel from far and wide to northwest Colorado to see male sage-grouse strut their stuff in hopes of attracting a mate. Early spring is prime season to catch these timid grouse dancing on the lek and shaking their tail feathers through organized tours.
Members of the Western Clean Energy Advocates (WCEA), signed a letter encouraging Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to to sign SB 252, to increase the renewable energy portfolio standard for rural electric providers
. WCEA is a diverse and growing coalition working to transform the way we produce, use, and distribute energy across the West. WCEA aims to create jobs, protect the West’s water, wildlife, and ecosystems, address climate change, and enhance energy security.
Smart Steps to Establish a Responsible Program for Renewable Energy on Public Lands
Since its first day in office, the Obama Administration has made rapid and responsible expansion of renewable energy a top priority. The public lands have played a major role in achieving early goals, but only because of focused effort to correct decades of inattention and inactivity toward developing renewable energy as a major component of the nation’s energy mix.
Expanding energy development to meet the growing needs of America must be balanced with protecting vital wild places.
The Wilderness Society has launched a new quarterly report "By The Numbers" to track how many acres of American land have been protected by Congress and the Executive branch, and how many acres have been leased out to energy development.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013Witness testimony today by Noble’s Offshore Installation Manager Todd Case as he was questioned by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the Kulluk drill rig -- which Shell attempted to tow across the Gulf of Alaska with a single tow vessel before it broke loose and ran aground last New Year’s Eve -- should have had multiple tow vessels for safe transport.
Case was aboard the Kulluk when it went adrift and ran aground on a small island south of Kodiak.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013U.S. Representatives Don Young and Doc Hastings have introduced H.R. 1964 in an effort to scrap the Department of the Interior’s recently finalized, comprehensive plan for the western Arctic’s National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, the nation’s largest tract of public land. The bill is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow on Capitol Hill.
Monday, May 20, 2013Identifying smart steps the Obama Administration, including the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Land Management, can take to continue building a responsible program for renewable energy are part of a “blueprint for action” released by The Wilderness Society today.