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The Giant Sequoia National Monument is located within
the Sequoia National Forest in south-central California.
The outer boundaries of the area encompass approximately
327,769 acres of federal land managed by the United States
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The monument
is located in two parcels bisected by the Sequoia National
Park. The northern boundary is the Kings River. The
southern parcel is entirely in Tulare County. The eastern
boundary is the North Fork of the Kern River. Establishment
of the Giant Sequoia National Monument brings permanent
protection and recognition to all of the federally-owned
giant sequoia groves within the Sequoia National Forest.
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CREATION OF THE MONUMENT
On April 15, 2000 President Clinton signed a proclamation designating 327,769 acres of the Sequoia National Forest the Giant Sequoia National Monument. This was done under section 2 of the Antiquities Act, 16 L: S.C.43 1 which authorizes the President of the United States to establish as national monuments "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands obtained or controlled by the Government of the United States." The Proclamation keeps the management of the federal land under this agency's existing authorities, but subject to the over-riding purpose of protecting the scientific and historic objects described in the Proclamation. The Proclamation requires the Secretary to appoint a Science Advisory Board in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences. The primary role of this Board is to provide scientific guidance during the development of the initial management plan by the agency. Board membership will include, but not be limited to, the physical, social and biological sciences.
Bush Proclamation (Word document, 26k)
Clinton Proclamation (Word document, 59k)
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ADMINISTRATION OF THE MONUMENT
The Federal lands in the area described in the Proclamation are currently under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service. The Forest Service manages the land pursuant to its basic organic authorities, the primary one being the Organic Administration Act of 1897 (I 6 U.S.C. 473-475, 477-482, 551). The Proclamation keeps the area under the existing Forest Service management. This keeps the management of the federal land under this agency's existing authorities, but subject to the overriding purpose of protecting the scientific and historic objects described in the Proclamation. The establishment of the Monument thus constitutes an overlay on the management regime otherwise applicable to lands managed by the Forest Service; by eliminating commercial timber harvesting within the area and mandating the protection of the historic and scientific objects within the Monument, the Proclamation limits the management discretion that the Forest Service might otherwise have.
The designated wilderness areas and congressionally designated special management areas encompassed within the Monument would continue to be managed in accordance with statutes and policies that pertain to them.
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