The former Fort Ord in Monterey, California, has been designated as a national monument. The 14,000-acre surprise came on April 20, 2012 with a resounding "yes" from the White House.
The announcement came just three days after area officials made their latest rounds in Washington, D.C. to tout the former military base and open space in Monterey County as worthy of the designation.
The president’s statement (see below) about the former base highlights exactly what area officials see as its value, calling it “a world-class destination for hikers, mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy the area’s history and scenic landscapes.”
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| So proud of Henrietta Stern, my friend and former 24-hour mountain bike race team member, pictured here shaking hands with President Obama in March 2012. |
Six locals, led by Henrietta Stern and Gordon Smith, were offered a few moments to make their pitch to the chief executive at a Department of Interior conference in Washington D.C. on Friday. Stern said the locals were offered a five-minute meet-and-greet, including the requisite handshakes and photos, with Obama and a few moments to put in a word on their project's behalf during the White House Conference on Conservation, dubbed "Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy.
The new status and improvements to the land that are in store will undoubtedly be a boost to the region’s tourism and recreation economies. Tourists already flock to this area to sample the many recreational opportunities — and when doing so leave a few of their dollars behind. Fort Ord presents myriad opportunities!
Excerpted from: http://www.
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| Henrietta Stern is also a talented mountain biker and loyal friend! |
From the San Jose Mercury News
Obama to designate Fort Ord as a new national monument
Posted on April 20, 2012 by Meghan
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Fort Ord will become America’s newest national monument on Friday!
President Barack Obama is scheduled to establish the new designation on Friday, April 20, making the sweeping former military base only the second national monument he has created since becoming president in 2009.
“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,” Obama said in a statement late Thursday.
“This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will 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.
MORE INFO:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.
MORE INFO:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.
