For decades, the Pit River Nation has fought threats of geothermal development on their sacred ancestral lands in the Medicine Lake Highlands, also known as Sáttítla. Now, the Pit River Tribe is calling for Sáttítla to be permanently protected, and elected officials are taking notice. In early September, Senator Padilla introduced legislation to establish Sáttítla National Monument and urged President Biden to designate the monument via an Antiquities Act proclamation. The California legislature passed a resolution supporting designation, raising the pressure on the federal government to act.
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a proud partner in the coalition working to achieve national monument designation, both because of its significance to the Pit River Nation and its natural wonders. Sáttítla is home to mature and old growth forests, pristine wetlands, and at least 19 rare plant species, including the federally threatened whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and the dainty talus collomia (Collomia larsenii). More than 450 native plant taxa have been identified in the proposal area, and further botanical studies of the remote landscape would likely encounter many not-yet-documented species.
The monument would also protect the Medicine Lake Volcano, the largest volcano in the Cascade Range by volume. The volcano’s caldera forms the Medicine Lake Aquifer, which releases more than 1 million acre-feet of clean, fresh water every year into Fall River Springs. Millions of Californians benefit from this immense catchment system, whose water stores are also a buffer against drought and climate change.
National monument designation would provide relief from the continual threat of development, and would support conservation-minded land management, including the healthy management of Sáttítla’s forests and restoration of watersheds. It would ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the quiet and solitude omnipresent throughout the proposed monument.
The campaign to protect Sáttítla is gaining momentum, and every new supporter brings us closer to designation. You can tell President Biden that you support Sáttítla by signing the petition at protectsáttítla.org. You can learn more about CNPS monument work and find our scientist-support letters at cnps.org/nationalmonuments. However, the best way to help protect Sáttítla is to voice your support in person. As we enter the final push towards designation, speaking directly to key stakeholders is crucial—so stay tuned for opportunities to show up for Sáttítla! ~Isobel Nairn, CNPS Wyss Conservation Fellow
