Big Day for Berryessa Snow Mountain Region
Friday, July 10, 2015
WINTERS, Calif. - Big news today for the Berryessa Snow Mountain region. President Barack Obama designated about 330,000 acres as a national monument. The plan has been years in the making, designed with local input and seen as a way to grow the economies in the region.
The monument is less than 100 miles from the Bay Area and city of Winters Mayor Cecilia Curry says the stunning mountain views will now be saved from being turned into skyscrapers.
"It's really for the kids. It's really for the future. It's a game-changer for Winters, Clear Lake, and Williams, and the whole region."
She says Winters will soon see its first hotel, built in anticipation of additional tourism. The president named three monuments; the others are the Basin and Range National Monument in Nevada, and the Waco Mammoth archaeological site in West Texas.
Mike Matz, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts' U.S. public lands program, says the Berryessa region is already noted for whitewater rafting, hiking, fishing, camping, hunting and horseback riding and there's another lesser-known treasure.
"Berryessa's renowned for its wintering population of bald eagles," says Matz. "The only other winter habitat with more bald eagles is in Alaska. It's quite a distinction for Californians."
Obama's designation is done with the authority of the Antiquities Act.
Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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