Monumental Questions - Monument Management
Nate Lillge • July 27, 2023
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument consists of 330,780 acres of federally managed public lands. It stretches over 100-miles from the Stebbins Cold Canyon area, south of Lake Berryessa, through Snow Mountain Wilderness to the Yuki Wilderness in Mendocino National Forest. Only federally managed public lands are part of the Monument, however, private landowners as well as other public lands managers (State, County, etc) that are within the boundaries may choose to align their land management practices with those of the Monument.
Broadly speaking, the southern portion of the Monument is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) while the north is managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Highway 20, which connects Clear Lake with I-5, is roughly the dividing line between the north and south portions of the Monument. USFS manages slightly more acres than BLM, 197,204 acres to 133,576 acres. These two agencies can have differing management practices which could lead to confusion with Monument management.
To help clear up confusion, a Monument Manager is in place to work with both BLM and USFS. It is this person’s responsibility to ensure that management practices are consistent throughout the Monument – or at the very least, not contradictory. The first manager for Berryessa Snow Mountain was Rebecca Wong who started as Monument Manager in November 2016. In 2023, Melissa Hovey was selected to manage the Monument and continue the work to establish a Monument Management Plan.
The Monument Management Plan is essential to ensure that the land is being managed to benefit all user groups while still maintaining and preserving what makes Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument so special. Unique geologic features, including serpentine outcrops and deep-sea mud volcanoes, need to be protected to ensure that the rare species that depend on these features have a place to thrive.
The Monument is also home to many Native American tribes and has been for many thousands of years. Their history, culture, and stories are woven into the land and need to be protected. It is important that tribes be included in the development of the management plan.
Federally managed lands in Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument are public lands and should be open to everyone. So, while it is imperative that rare, endangered, threatened, unique, species have a place to thrive, it is equally important that the public have the chance to enjoy the land. Coordinating where and when certain activities can take place will increase access and safety for all while protecting sensitive areas.
-Nate Lillge (nlillge@tuleyome.org)
Tuleyome Adventures and Engagement Director
Certified California Naturalist
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