The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument's designation in 2015, followed by its expansion to include Molok Luyuk in 2024, stands as a testament to grassroots conservation success in the heart of Northern California's inner coastal range. Photo courtesy of Tuleyome

YOLO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument (the Monument) celebrated its 10th anniversary, a milestone that showcases what becomes possible when communities unite to protect irreplaceable landscapes on July 10.

The Monument's designation in 2015, followed by its expansion to include Molok Luyuk in 2024, stands as a testament to grassroots conservation success in the heart of Northern California's inner coastal range.

Spanning 344,476 acres, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument holds exceptional biodiversity and ecological integrity that ranks among the top 5% of all United States Forest and Bureau of Land Management properties in the contiguous United States. The ancient serpentine soil of the Monument is the foundation of the vast landscape, creating one of California’s most unique ecosystems. 

These distinctive soils nurture rare plant species found nowhere else on Earth, including the delicate adobe lily (Fritillaria pluriflora) and the scythleaf onion (Allium falcifolium). Such botanical treasures represent thousands of years of evolutionary adaptation, harboring genetic diversity that, if lost, can never be recovered. The specialized ecosystems that serpentine soils support have evolved in isolation, creating rare biological communities. 

But the Monument's significance extends far beyond its botanical rarities and unique soils. It holds a deep history of indigenous culture and heritage. This landscape has witnessed 20,000 years of documented cultural change and development.

The Monument served as a key connector and trade route used by indigenous communities. Historic trail networks once connected Patwin, Pomo, Lake Miwok, and Wappo peoples, positioning this area at the center of extensive trade networks that linked the Clear Lake Basin with the Sacramento Valley.

Beyond the ecological and cultural significance, the same serpentine geology that creates the Monuments unique biodiversity, also shaped early California history.

From the 1860s through the 1970s, the Sulphur Creek mining district extracted mercury that was used for gold mining throughout the Sierra Nevada and regional mines. Miners and their families established the Sulphur Creek village during the mid-to-late 1800s, creating communities and infrastructure that led to the broader economic development of California during the Gold Rush era.

The geological foundation weaves together the Monument's environmental treasures, Indigenous heritage, and Gold Rush history into a singular narrative of place demonstrating how landscape, ecology, and human story interconnect across millennia.

Today, the Monument represents a new chapter in conservation leadership. Co-stewardship agreements between the Bureau of Land Management and indigenous communities create a powerful model for partnerships in land management, directly supporting federal and state mandates to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into land management practices.  

The Monument's protection also contributes significantly to California's ambitious 30x30 initiative aiming to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030. These efforts address the biodiversity crisis and climate change by safeguarding critical habitat corridors and carbon storage capacity.

Perhaps most importantly, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument proves that conservation enhances public access rather than restricts it. The monument provides improved trail management and diverse recreational opportunities including OHV use, mountain biking, and hiking, welcoming visitors to experience these protected landscapes responsibly.

As we celebrate this 10th anniversary, the Monument stands as proof that grassroots organizing and local advocacy can achieve federal conservation action. Community voices influenced national policy and secured permanent protection for the Berryessa Snow Mountain landscape. Demonstrating how our public lands are cherished by recreationists, Indigenous communities, scientists, and nature lovers alike.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument showcases that when communities come together around shared values of protection and stewardship, remarkable conservation victories become possible. Its first decade marks not an ending, but the beginning of a conservation model ready for replication across California and beyond.

Bryan Pride is the policy director for Tuleyome. Tuleyome is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, CA. For more information go to www.tuleyome.org.