DOI Secretary Haaland and BLM Director Stone-Manning visit Molok Luyuk

September 25, 2023 (Lake County, CA) Over the weekend, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning visited the proposed expansion area of Berryessa Snow National Monument known as Molok Luyuk, which means “Condor Ridge” in the Patwin language and is considered sacred to the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. This culturally significant Northern California landscape, located on the eastern edge of the monument, is on full display with rolling hills, rocky outcroppings, wildflower meadows, and forests of pine, cypress, and oak.  

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, elected officials, including California Senators Padilla and Feinstein as well as Representatives Garamendi (CA-8) and Thompson (CA-4), alongside community leaders, and local advocates are calling on President Biden to expand the national monument to preserve biodiversity and maintain critical wildlife migration corridors for species such as tule elk, mountain lions, and black bears. Permanently protecting Molok Luyuk would offer an opportunity for co-stewardship agreements between the Bureau of Land Management and surrounding Tribal Nations, contribute to California and President Biden’s commitments to protect at least 30% of public lands and waters by 2030, and help improve regional access to the outdoors and recreation opportunities.  

“It’s significant to have Secretary Haaland and Director Stone-Manning visit Molok Luyuk and see the wonder and importance of this rugged and deeply storied landscape,” said Dan Smuts, Senior Regional Director, Pacific Region, The Wilderness Society. “Permanently protecting this region is essential in building climate resiliency for future generations and honors the ties that Tribes and Nations have to the surrounding land and waters. We look forward to President Biden taking action soon to protect this important place.”

Contact: Gaby Diaz, Communications Manager, gaby_diaz@tws.org, (720) 464-1941