In the Spotlight
Fort Ord National Monument Dedication Ceremony
Secretary Ken Salazar (center with hat) participates in the Fort Ord National Monument dedication ceremony.
Secretary Ken Salazar joined BLM Director Bob Abbey and California State Director Jim Kenna at a dedication event for the nation’s newest National Monument – the 14,560-acre Fort Ord National Monument near Monterey. The new monument, created by Presidential Proclamation on April 20, 2012, is managed by the BLM’s Hollister Field Office.
The Secretary and Director Abbey were also joined by Rep. Sam Farr; Garrison Commander Col. Joel J. Clark; Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and Sgt. Allen McDonald at the event on Saturday, May 19, Armed Forces Day. More than 400 cyclists, hikers, community members and military families were on hand.
Mountain bikers pose at the Fort Ord National Monument dedication site. The area is also a recreation destination, with more than 86 miles of trails for the public to explore on foot, bike or horseback and one of the key venues for the annual Sea Otter Classic - one of the largest cycling festivals in the world.
The area plays a vital part in the protection of rare species of plants and animals. Many of the rare plants in the former Fort Ord military base have 50-90% of their worldwide habitat here. 86 miles of trail are open every day from dawn to dusk, and are used by hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, wildlife and wildflower photographers and nature enthusiasts. Visitors can walk or ride the narrow trails on the grassland hills or on the generous winding trails through oak woodlands and coastal chaparral. People can also visit three trail access points and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
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Commemorating 150 Years of
The Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 gave individuals from the United States and around the world the opportunity to claim free government land. During the homesteading era tens-of-thousands of people claimed and settled more than 270 million acres.
