In Honor of Earth Day, President Obama Made Sure Fort Ord Will Remain Wild

MARINA - A former military base, to a popular recreation area, to now, a national monument.

On Friday, President Barack Obama made sure Fort Ord will remain wild.

That means preserving hiking trails, mountain bike riding, walking paths, horseback riding and whatever other outdoor activities you can think of.

"Fort Ord is the same size as San Francisco. Fort Ord is big. It's 28,000 acres," said Bruce Delgado, mayor of Marina.

read: http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/17640266/fort-ord-now-a-national-monument




President Barack Obama on Friday designated Fort Ord a national monument, completing its conversion from bustling military base to popular Monterey Peninsula recreation area.

The designation will afford additional protection to the 7,200 acres, which is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management. The presidential action decreed that no mining or geothermal development can take place in the monument and called for the development of a management plan that preserves it in perpetuity.

The designation bars off-road vehicles, but officials said the 86 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails along the Central Coast will remain open.

read: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/21/4431205/monumental-day-for-fans-of-fort.html




President Barack Obama used his power under the 1906 Antiquities Act to set aside the federal land off the Pacific Ocean for wildlife habitat and for the pleasure of people who explore its 86 miles of rolling trails on foot, mountain bike and horseback.

"Fort Ord's dramatic landscape lives in the memories of thousands of veterans as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career. This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California's coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century," Obama said in a statement.

Fort Ord, near Monterey Bay, about 80 miles south of San Francisco, was a major Army training center during the Vietnam War. It became a base in 1917 and was closed in 1994. The Bureau of Land Management soon opened its more than 14,000 acres for recreation, and more than 100,000 people have used it annually.

Fort Ord lies alongside the agricultural fields of the Salinas Valley. Its scenic landscape includes coastal oak woodlands, grasslands and maritime chaparral, a habitat of manzanita and other plant species adapted to the foggy climate on the coast. The land is home to shrub-land birds such as the California quail and safe sparrow, as well as other species, including mountain lions and golden eagles.

read: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/20/2759865/obama-proclaims-fort-ord-national.html




President Obama signed the proclamation establishing Fort Ord, a former U.S. Army Post located in the heart of California's Central Coast, as a National Monument. It is one of the largest open spaces in the highly developed Monterey Bay area.

The area was once traversed by Spanish settlers traveling from Mexico to San Francisco, and later became a U.S. Army facility. The rugged terrain was perfect for training exercises, and nearly 1.5 million American soldiers who served between World War I and the early 1990s were introduced to the rigors of military service there.

Today, 10,000 visitors each year explore the area's canyons and grasslands by bike, horse and foot, while scientists flock to the area because of its diverse group of rare and endemic species of plants and animals. In fact, Fort Ord is one of the few remaining places in the world where coastal scrub, live oak woodland and savanna habitats, and vernal pools--shallow, temporary pools of water that teem with insect life--exist in a contiguous, interconnected landscape.

The protection of the Fort Ord area will maintain its historical and cultural significance, attract tourists from near and far, and enhance its unique natural resources, for the enjoyment of all Americans.

read: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/20/president-obama-establishes-fort-ord-national-monument



President Barack Obama and his family hike on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park in Maine, July 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

related:

Presidential Proclamation -- Establishment of the Fort Ord National Monument - April 20, 2012
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/20/presidential-proclamation-establishment-fort-ord-national-monument