Proclamations Proc. 7266 Proclamation 7266 of January 11, 2000 Boundary Enlargement of the Pinnacles National Monument By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Pinnados National Monumont was ostablishod on January 16, 1908, for tho purposo of protocting its natural rock formations, known as Pinnados Rocks, and tho sorios of talus cavos undoflying thom. Tho monumont sits within OhO of tho most complox and fascinating goologic totrains in North Arnofica, an aroa whoro rock massos havo boon slicod apart, transportod for up to hundreds of miles, and then reassembled into a fantastic geologic mixture. The monument holds only half of an ancient volcano; the other half is found \17795 miles to the southeast in northern Los Angeles County. The volcano was split apart and transported north by an early strand of the San Andreas Fault, known as the Chalone Creek Fault, which lies within the monument. The pinnacles inside the monument are composed mainly of volcanic broccia, a mixture of angular blocks of volcanic lava, pumice, and ash. The occurrence of the pinnacles within the monument is unusual, as some of these volcanic rocks also contain marine fossils. Since \177908, the boundaries of the monument have been enlarged on five occasions by presidential proclamations issued pursuant to the Antiquities Act (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431). Proclamation 1660 of May 7, 1923, added 562 acres to include additional natural formations with a series of caves underlying them. Proclamation \177704 of July 2, \177924, added adioining lands that included a spring of water and valuable camping sites. Proclamation 1948 of April 13, 1931, added %926 acres that held additional features of scientific and educational interest and for administrative purposes. For these same purposes, the boundary was later expanded on July \177l, \177933 (Proclamation 2050). Proclamation 2528 of December 5, 1941, added addi- tional lands adioining Pinnacles National Monument in order to protect more obiects of scientific interest in the monument area. The boundary of the monument was further expanded by statute on October 20, \177976 (Public Law 94-567, 90 Stat. 2693). The boundary enlargement effected by this proclamation is central to the continued preservation of the Pinnacles National Monument's unique re- sources. In addition to containing pieces of the same faults that created the tremendous geological formations throughout the monument, the expansion lands hold part of the headwaters that drain into the basin of the monu- ment. Over millions of years, flash floods and stream currents have helped to sculpt the land's natural features. Additionally, these lands contain a bi- ological system that must be protected if the wild character and ecosystem of the monument are to be preserved. The geologic formations provide a stellar habitat for important and sometimes fragile biological resources. For example, raptor populations, including prairie falcons, golden eagles, red- shouldered hawks, Coopor's hawks, harriers, white-tailed kites, long-oarod owls, and red-tailed hawks, nest on the rocky formations and forage in the broad watershed. The lands within the expansion area contain steep, rug- ged slopes surrounding small canyons. Shallow rocky soils, gravel creek beds, and steeply rising topography combine to create a dynamic flood en- vironment. The lands preserve a complex association of plant communities 13
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