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The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is a
National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a spe ...
in
southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ...
. It includes portions of the
Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina * Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * S ...
and San Jacinto
mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have ari ...
s, the northernmost ones of the
Peninsular Ranges The Peninsular Ranges (also called the Lower California province) are a group of mountain ranges that stretch from Southern California to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges, which ...
system. The national monument covers portions of
Riverside County Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Uni ...
, west of the
Coachella Valley , map_image = Wpdms shdrlfi020l coachella valley.jpg , map_caption = Coachella Valley , location = California, United States , coordinates = , width = , boundaries = Salton Sea (southeast), Santa Rosa Mountains (southwest), San Jacin ...
, approximately southeast of downtown
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
.


Description

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument was established in October 2000, through Congressional legislation (Public Law 106-351). It covers an area of . It is administered jointly by the US
Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's ...
(BLM) and
U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
San Bernardino National Forest The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
(SBNF). Many flora and fauna species within the national monument are state and federal listed threatened or
endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
, including the Peninsular
Bighorn Sheep The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subsp ...
(''Ovis canadensis cremnobates''), a subspecies
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the Peninsular Ranges. The Cahuilla peoples own substantial acreage within the monument, are one of the managing agencies, and have historic cultural sites and interests throughout the mountains. More than 200 cultural resources have been recorded on federally managed lands within the monument, including the Martinez Canyon Rockhouse, which is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.


Preservation history

Since the late 19th century, the area has been protected as public lands, beginning as forest reserves and then as part of the
San Bernardino National Forest The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
in 1925. In 1928,
Mount San Jacinto State Park Mount San Jacinto State Park is in the San Jacinto Mountains, of the Peninsular Ranges system, in Riverside County, California, United States. A majority of the park is within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. The park ...
was established and has within the national monument boundary. In 1917 and 1927, state game refuges were established on both the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. In the 1960s, the state agency
California Department of Fish and Game The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), formerly known as the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), is a state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages and protec ...
began to set aside special areas called ecological reserves to protect certain species and habitats, and there are now three reserves with of state reserve lands in the monument. Other state agencies involved in conservation of the area include the Philip L. Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center (part of the University of California Natural Reserve System) and the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy. In addition, the 1964
Wilderness Act The Wilderness Act of 1964 () was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres (37,000 km²) of federal land. The result of a lon ...
established the San Jacinto Wilderness, and in 1984, the
California Desert Protection Act The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 is a federal law () sponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein, passed by the United States Congress on October 8, 1994, and signed into effect by President Bill Clinton on October 31 of the same year, tha ...
added the Santa Rosa Wilderness in the
Colorado Desert California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert. It encompasses approximately , including the heavily irrigated Coachella and Imperial valleys. It is home to many unique flora and fauna. Geography and geology The Colorado D ...
section of the
Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert ( es, Desierto de Sonora) is a desert in North America and ecoregion that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the southwestern United States (in Ariz ...
. Other agencies include local and tribal governments that have
habitat conservation Habitat conservation is a management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore habitats and prevent species extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range. It is a priority of many groups that cannot be easily characterized in ter ...
plans, including the Habitat Conservation Plan addition to the Cahuilla Tribal Conservation Program. Private conservation organizations, such as
The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US. Founded in 1951, The Nat ...
,
American Land Conservancy The American Land Conservancy was an American non-profit organization whose goal was to protect the natural environment. About the American Land Conservancy American Land Conservancy was a non-profit land conservation organization dedicated t ...
, and Friends of the Desert Mountains, have also contributed to the protection of the mountains through land purchases and acquisitions.


Landscape, vegetation, and wildlife

The monument is oriented northwest to southeast along the edge of the broad Coachella Valley, and the terrain rises sharply from below sea level to nearly . These mountains are a part of the Peninsular Range Province, which extends from the Baja Peninsula in Mexico to the San Jacinto Mountains in California. San Jacinto Peak is the highest point in the Peninsular Range Province and has one of the steepest fault-block escarpments in North America. The differences in elevation, temperature, and moisture give rise to diverse vegetation. Being the western boundary of the
Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert ( es, Desierto de Sonora) is a desert in North America and ecoregion that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the southwestern United States (in Ariz ...
, the eastern mountainslopes are hotter and drier, while the western side is affected by the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
and receives more precipitation with cooler temperatures. There are several major vegetation areas ranging from sand dunes/sand fields, chaparral, and mesquite to riparian zones of willow and cottonwood, desert fan palm oasis woodland, and pinyon pine woodland, with the highest elevations supporting lodgepole pine timberline forest. Another factor influencing plant and animal species is the "island" aspect of the San Jacinto Mountains and the Peninsular Range, the unique isolation of the landform on three sides-the Pacific Ocean to the west, the
Salton Trough The Salton Trough is an active tectonic pull-apart basin, or graben. It lies within the Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego counties of southeastern California, United States and extends south of the Mexico–United States border into the sta ...
/desert environment to the east, and the
San Gorgonio Pass The San Gorgonio Pass, or Banning Pass, is a elevation gap on the rim of the Great Basin between the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south. The pass was formed by the San Andreas Fault, a major tran ...
to the north. Biologists believe that this isolation has contributed to evolution of subspecies such as the San Diego mountain kingsnake. California fan palm (''Washingtonia filifera'') groves, part of the natural community of oasis riparian woodland, are located at permanent water sites of both Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. The fan palm is a relict species, although not listed under the
Endangered Species Act The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA or "The Act"; 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) is the primary law in the United States for protecting imperiled species. Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of ec ...
. Associated plants in the oasis woodland include honey mesquite (''Prosopis glandulosa''), arrow weed, and deer grass. The largest plant category in the national monument is collectively known as desert scrub and includes Sonoran Cresosote Scrub and Sonoran Mixed Woody and Succulent Scrub vegetation communities. Desert scrub occupies more than and consists of creosote bush (''Larrea tridentata''), burrobrush (''Ambrosia dumosa''), cacti, and other
stem succulent Stem succulents are fleshy succulent columnar shaped plants which conduct photosynthesis mainly through their stems rather than their leaves.Frerea indica, a Stem Succulent CAM Plant with Deciduous C₃ Leaves, Otto L. Lange and Margit Zuber, Oec ...
s. Desert scrub is found on the alluvial fans and intermountain bajadas, growing on coarse, well-drained soils. Wildlife of the desert scrub plant community includes the federally protected Peninsular Ranges
bighorn sheep The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subsp ...
(''Ovis canadensis nelsoni'') and the
desert tortoise The desert tortoise (''Gopherus agassizii''), is a species of tortoise in the Family (biology), family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave Desert, Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexic ...
(''Xerobates agassizii'' syn. ''Gopherus agassizii''). On both sides of the mountains, montane coniferous forest occurs from around in elevation. Vegetation in this area includes
Jeffrey pine ''Pinus jeffreyi'', also known as Jeffrey pine, Jeffrey's pine, yellow pine and black pine, is a North American pine tree. It is mainly found in California, but also in the westernmost part of Nevada, southwestern Oregon, and northern Baja Califo ...
,
ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...
, incense cedar, and
sugar pine ''Pinus lambertiana'' (commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree, and has the longest cones of any conifer. The species name ''lambertiana'' was given by the Scottish botanist David Douglas, ...
. Rare plants in the national monument include Hidden Lake bluecurls (''Trichostema austromontanum'' ssp. ''compactum''), a plant federally listed as threatened in 1998 and found at a single
vernal pool Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe ...
site. Others include Nuttall's scrub oak, desert sand verbena, and vanishing wild buckwheat. There are nineteen species
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument area. These species require or are restricted to a small geographical area which makes them vulnerable to habitat disturbance. A few of these species are Johnston's rockcress, Casey's June beetle, Coachella Valley round-tailed ground squirrel, Munz's mariposa lily, San Jacinto bush snapdragon, Santa Rosa Mountain linanthus, Tahquitz ivesia, and Ziegler’s aster. The Bureau of Land Management lists eight animal species within the monument as endangered, threatened, or rare. Of these, all but one are federally listed with the southern rubber boa being state-listed as threatened. In addition to the Peninsular bighorn sheep and the desert tortoise, some of these protected wildlife include the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard and the southwestern willow flycatcher.


Management and recreation

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is managed by a mosaic of entities, including the Bureau of Land Management (), US Forest Service (), Cahuilla peoples (), California Department of Parks and Recreation (), other State of California agencies (), and privately (). Most of the common recreational uses of
hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
,
mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...
,
horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...
and
camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...
are allowed, with the exception of special areas such as ecological reserves and essential bighorn sheep habitat. The
Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...
traverses the western part of the national monument and is one of the nation’s first National Scenic Trails established by the National Trails System Act (Public Law 90-543). This segment of the trail is managed by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The National Monument legislation (introduced on February 16, 2000, by Congresswoman
Mary Bono Mary Bono (née Whitaker and formerly Mary Bono Mack, born October 24, 1961) is an American politician, businesswoman, and lobbyist who served Palm Springs and most of central and eastern Riverside County, California, in the U.S. House of Repres ...
) authorized the establishment of a management plan that included cooperative agreements with existing organizations, such as that of the Cahuilla peoples and the University of California, as well as maintaining most of the historical land uses, except
mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...
and geothermal activities.


See also

*
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (, '' AN-zə bə-RAY-goh'') is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of southern California, United States. The park takes its name from 18th century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and ...
– located on the southern side of the monument *
Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve The Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve designated by UNESCO in 1984 to promote the ecological conservation of a cluster of areas in the Mojave and Colorado deserts of California. A principal feature is Death Valle ...
*
List of flora of the Sonoran Desert Region by common name The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert and ecoregion which covers large parts of the southwestern United States and of northwestern Mexico. With an area of , it is the hottest desert in Mexico. The western portion of the Mexico–United Sta ...
* Tahquitz (spirit)


Notes


References

* ''Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Resource Management Plan'' and ''Final Environmental Impact Statement''
Bureau of Land Management
February 2004. * ''Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act of 2000'', July 17, 2000. Report 106-750.


Further reading

* Bertram, Debbie and Bloom, Susan (2005). ''A Monument to Treasure: A Journey through the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument'' Desert Publications. pp. 32.


External links


U.S. Forest Service: official 'Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument' website

Bureau of Land Management: official Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument website

National Landscape Conservation System: website on Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Rosa And San Jacinto Mountains National Monument National Monuments in California Protected areas of the Colorado Desert Parks in Riverside County, California San Jacinto Mountains Santa Rosa Mountains (California) Bureau of Land Management National Monuments Bureau of Land Management areas in California San Bernardino National Forest United States Forest Service National Monuments Protected areas established in 2000 2000 establishments in California Cahuilla Nature reserves in California Units of the National Landscape Conservation System Parks in Southern California