Home to healthy kelp forests and coastal dunes, providing critical wildlife habitat for blue whales and leatherback sea turtles, the Chumash Sanctuary creates a safe space for these species to migrate and thrive, connecting adjacent national park lands and waters like Channel Islands with other marine sanctuaries.
Washington, D.C. – Today on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, after 40 years of advocacy led by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, the [Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (https://chumashsanctuary.org/) is the first tribally nominated national marine sanctuary advancing locally led and designed conservation efforts. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) celebrates and has supported coalition efforts to designate the newly established national marine sanctuary, which preserves sacred cultural sites along the Central California Coast that the Chumash Peoples have stewarded for thousands of years. It connects existing federally protected lands and waters at Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, where the powerful history of the Chumash enriches the education and interpretive experiences there.
In alignment with NPCA’s goals to strengthen marine protected areas in and near national parks across the country to improve the health and climate resiliency of park habitats, it also meets conservation goals outlined in the Biden administration’s “America the Beautiful” initiative, which calls for the protection and restoration of at least 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. The sanctuary designation will take effect following a review by California Governor Gavin Newsom and Congress for the next 45 days.
You can listen and learn more about the decades-long work by the Chumash people on NPCA’s Secret Lives of Parks podcast, Making Things Whole.
Statement by Sarah Barmeyer, Deputy Vice President of Conservation Programs
“Today we celebrate the Chumash traditions and their contributions to ocean conservation by designating the first indigenously led national marine sanctuary in their name. The inclusive and equitable Tribal collaborative co-management approach ensures the establishment and future of the sanctuary will directly benefit from input of Indigenous leaders connected to the Chumash heritage, championing their traditional practices and knowledge with federal partner processes.
“The nutrient-rich waters off California’s coast are among the most biologically diverse and ecologically productive regions in the world. Home to healthy kelp forests, coastal dunes and wetlands, and critical wildlife habitat for blue whales, southern sea otters, western snowy plovers, and leatherback sea turtles, the Chumash Sanctuary creates a safe space for these species to migrate and thrive. Additionally, it connects adjacent national park lands and waters like Channel Islands with other marine sanctuaries. Better protecting America’s oceans safeguard marine wildlife and help protect vulnerable coastal communities from the intensifying threats of climate change.
“We’re grateful for the action taken by the Biden administration, prioritizing more marine protections that honor the cultural and ecological resources of the Chumash people. The benefits to marine life and surrounding national parks and waters will be felt and seen for generations to come.”
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
