To residents of Greater Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Mountains are iconic. The snow-capped mountain peaks extend high up on the skyline, creating a picturesque backdrop for the city. They’re also within 90 miles of over 18 million people, which is one of the reasons a coalition of organizations as well as California elected officials are calling on President Joe Biden to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to include 109,000 acres that were not included in the original monument designation.
The effort is led by Nature for All, an organization committed to protecting public lands and natural spaces in an equitable manner for the over 18 million people in the Greater Los Angeles region. Nature for All has been working on protecting public lands and rivers in the San Gabriel Mountains for over 15 years — in 2008, the organization formed as the San Gabriel Mountains Forever coalition to safeguard recreation, drinking water, wildlife habitat, and outdoor access. Now, the Nature for All coalition includes a diverse set of local, regional, and national organizations, all of whom work together to advocate for the monument expansion and access to green and open spaces throughout the region.