THE GRIZZLY BEAR NATIONAL MONUMENT
Richard Halsey, Director of the California Chaparral Field Institute, has proposed the creation of a Grizzly Bear National Monument in the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest. The Santa Ana Mountains Task Force is supporting this project which would celebrate the role of the Grizzly Bear in California's history and emphasize the importance of the chaparral ecosystem. We want to have the District concentrate on outdoor recreation, education and habitat conservation and to eliminate further development and other projects that would weaken the "Wildness" of the Santa Ana Mountains. A National Monument would boost eco-tourism, help preserve hiking, biking, and equestrian access, protect historic treasures such as Silverado Canyon, Glen Ivy and Native American cultural sites, and establish the importance of California's unique chaparral ecosystem and its ties to the grizzly bear. Our plan is to work for the support of our two California Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and convince them to pass the message on to President Obama who has the authority to declare new National Monuments. We solicit the support of SAMTF members who believe in this project and have ideas on how to make this project successful. Contact myself (pfcsage@cox.net) or the OC Co-Chair of SAMTF, Ulrike Luderer(uluderer@cox.net). Hope to hear from you SAMTF members.
Paul Carlton
SAMTF member and founder
