Anniversary Celebration Of Sand To Snow Monument Continues

BANNING, CA — The fifth anniversary celebration of the Sand to Snow Monument in the San Bernardino National Forest will continue Saturday with a "Nature Hunt" geared to hikers, campers and others able to gather more information on plants and animals inhabiting the space.

"I am excited about celebrating this important milestone for the Sand to Snow National Monument along with the public and our friends and partner groups," Sand to Snow National Monument Manager Jihadda Govan said. "The monument offers so many family-friendly outdoor activities, including hiking, hunting, picnicking, wildlife viewing, horseback riding and snow play."

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has partnered with several nonprofits, including Friends of the Desert Mountains and the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association, to host the Nature Hunt, which got underway Friday and will conclude Sunday.

The goal is to encourage visitors to photograph and identify as many creatures and plants as possible, using the iNaturalist app, available at Google Play.

"The hunt (will) give the public an opportunity to experience the monument's unique biological value and natural habitats, which include deserts, foothills and mountains, while also contributing to genuine scientific research," according to the Bureau of Land Management. "The data gathered by the public will be used by BLM and the U.S. Forest Service to better understand the types and locations of species within the monument."

Sand to Snow National Monument was formally established in February 2016, with the intention of preserving habitats stretching from Mt. San Gorgonio, across the eastern flank of the Morongo Indian Reservation and through part of the Banning Pass.

There are multiple interconnecting trails, several of which begin and end in Mount San Jacinto State Park, near Idyllwild.

More information is available at https://www.desertmountains.org/sandtosnow.

—City News Service