HECHO Statement on Avi Kwa Ame and Castner Rage Designation as National Monuments

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) applauds President Joe Biden for the designation of Avi Kwa Ame, or Spirit Mountain, and Castner Range, as National Monuments through the Antiquities Act. 

Permanent protection of landscapes comes in many ways. Among the most valuable tools for permanent protection is national monument designation, which can be legislated by Congress, or enacted by a sitting President under his authority granted by the Antiquities Act. 

"The Antiquities Act has great value to our country and our Hispanic and Latinx communities, but only if it is used equitably and with the right decision-makers at the table. Monuments protect objects of historic, scientific, commemorative, and cultural values. It is imperative that reflects and honors the local communities and the history and culture of the people who live there," says Camilla Simon, HECHO's executive director. "We are pleased that President Biden and the Administration have listened to the request for the urgent protection of Avi Kwa Ame and Castner Range, both supported by Indigenous peoples, Hispanic communities, local lawmakers, sportsmen and women, among many others." 

Spanning approximately 506,814 acres in southern Nevada, Avi Kwa Ame is the place of origin for 10 Yuman-speaking tribes of the Mojave and is sacred to the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute people. HECHO has advocated for protecting the greater Avi Kwa Ame landscape in southern Nevada, a place of tremendous cultural and historical significance for people in the region and a critical habitat and migration linkage for wildlife. 

"This area is sacred to Indigenous Peoples and is vulnerable to development proposals. Protecting Avi Kwa Ame means honoring that sacred connection and moving toward a future that values the protection of land, water, wildlife, history, and culture," says Simon. 

"The permanent protection of Avi Kwa Ame benefits all Nevadans. This designation will prevent the desecration of cultural sites, petroglyphs, and sacred lands for the Native communities in our state and will protect the rich and fragile ecosystem of the area," said former Nevada State Senator and HECHO's Advisory Board member Mo Denis. 

The Castner Range is a historical and ecological area within the Franklin Mountains range. It totals 6,672 acres of high-desert mountains and abuts the majority-Hispanic community of El Paso and its southern neighbor, Cd. Juarez.   

“The local community has advocated long and hard for this day, and today we celebrate this victory with them,” says HECHO’s executive director. “The monument designation increases access to and protects a unique mountain range in a highly urban area, and will benefit people from all economic backgrounds, while reflecting and honoring the local communities and the history and culture of the people who live there.” 

HECHO, along with its Monumental SHIFT partners, a coalition led by ethnically and racially diverse leaders, will continue to ensure that local voices are not just amplified but have seats at the decision-making table, as well as to support a new era of monuments in which access is prioritized.