Trust for Public Land Supports Bill to Expand the California Coastal National Monument

The Trust for Public Land joined U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-2) and others today to support the introduction of legislation in the House of Representatives to expand the California Coastal National Monument to include 1132 acres of Stornetta Public Lands plus an additional 560 acres of undeveloped coastal bluffs near Point Arena, California.

The Trust for Public Land is working to purchase the 409-acre Cypress Abbey Ranch as a key addition to the monument, to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

“Californians love the magnificent coastline of this State and this legislation will help preserve one of its most spectacular parts,” said Sam Hodder, California Director of The Trust for Public Land. “We are grateful for the leadership of Rep. Huffman and the California congressional delegation in seeking to expand the national monument. Introducing this legislation is another important piece of this process and we are committed to getting it across the finish line.”

U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) have introduced similar legislation in the U.S. Senate. U.S. Representative Mike Thompson led the effort in the House when he represented the Mendocino Coast prior to redistricting and is still a strong supporter of this effort. 

The Cypress Abbey Ranch acquisition adds over a mile of protected coastline. When added to the already protected lands to the north and south, the result will be over 10 miles of publicly owned Pacific coastline and over 3,700 acres of protected open space within the adjacent Stornetta Public Lands, Manchester State Park, and the Stornetta Conservation Easement. 

“When completed, the acquisition will allow for over 10-miles of trails originating at Pt. Arena’s City Hall and open to everyone, from local school children to tourists from all over the world, forever,” said Hodder. 

Founded in 1972, The Trust for Public Land is the leading nonprofit working to conserve land for people. Operating from more than 30 offices nationwide, The Trust for Public Land has protected more than three million acres from the inner city to the wilderness and helped generate more than 34 billion in public funds for conservation. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Learn more at tpl.org