SEASIDE, Calif. -- A California coastal wilderness that was a training ground for generations of soldiers was designated a national monument Friday in a presidential signing ceremony.
President Obama signed a proclamation that protects nearly 15,000 acres of the decommissioned Fort Ord military base along Monterey Bay. It is the second national monument created by Mr. Obama in his three years as president.
About 1.7 million soldiers trained at the U.S. Army post from the beginning of World War I through Operation Desert Storm.
Now the scenic area is a popular spot for hikers and mountain bikers and is home to protected wildlife and plants.
"This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California's coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century," President Obama said.
The area coming under federal protection will preserve a major swath of the rare Central Coast Maritime chaparral ecosystem, a habitat unique to California. Mountain lions, deer, eagles, and the protected California black legless lizard all make their homes at Fort Ord.
The official proclamation signed by the President cites Fort Ord's ecological and historical significance as key reasons for protecting the land.
Brian O'Donnell, executive director of the Conservation Lands Foundation, which helped organize support for the monument designation, said, "The protection of our natural and cultural heritage is essential to providing people with an opportunity to experience the outdoors. It is great to see the administration take this action."
The preserve will formally be known as Fort Ord National Monument.
At its peak, Fort Ord spanned a total of 28,000 acres. It was declared a Superfund cleanup site four years before its official closure in 1994.
In 2008, the Army transferred to local authorities some 3,300 acres of the onetime infantry training center. It is believed still to be littered with unexploded ordnance.
Initially, a little more than 7,000 acres of the monument that have been cleaned up will be open to the public, said Bob Abbey, director of the Bureau of Land Management, which will oversee the monument.
An additional 7,400 acres remain under Department of Defense control as the cleanup continues through 2019, Mr. Abbey said.
Mr. Abbey said the cleaned-up areas pose no environmental hazard to the public.
First Published April 21, 2012, 4:45 a.m.
