One important step in that effort is the addition of the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands to the California Coastal National Monument. Located on the south Mendocino Coast, this property is a national treasure and provides an opportunity to protect nearly ten miles of coastal bluffs right in our backyard. The Public Lands encompass more than 1,100 acres of pristine coastal wetlands and hold natural wonders like habitat for endangered butterflies and the endangered Point Arena mountain beaver. They provide visitors with tremendous views and support a diverse array of wildlife. If you've ever visited the southern Mendocino coast perhaps to fish, hike, bird watch, or simply get outside you can attest to the signature beauty of this unspoiled coastline.
Over 14 years of representing Mendocino in Congress, my predecessor, Representative Mike Thompson understood the importance of protecting coastal wonders like the Point Arena- Stornetta property, and he led the charge to include this area as part of the Coastal Monument. I am proud to continue that work as the representative of this community, and I am working today to preserve the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands on the Mendocino Coast for generations to come. I serve on the Natural Resources Committee where I can work directly to protect treasured areas like Stornetta as well as urge the President to make this addition to the Coastal Monument.
The benefits of adding the Point Arena-Stornetta public lands to the Coastal Monument are numerous. They include preserving a unique and complex ecosystem -- including a number of endangered species that call it home. This first land-based addition to the Coastal Monument will add ten miles to the California Coastal Trail and include other natural jewels such as the Garcia Estuary, the five-acre Sea Island Rocks Island, and two miles of the Garcia River, a critical habitat for salmon and steelhead.
Safeguarding this national treasure isn't just good for the environment, our families, and our communities, it's good for our economy as well. Tourists drawn to Mendocino County to visit Stornetta and Mendocino's south coast support nearly 5,000 jobs and generate more than $110 million in economic activity annually.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a letter co-signed by Congressman Thompson and Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer to President Obama, asking him to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate these lands as part of the Coastal Monument. But there's more we can do. I'm also preparing to introduce legislation on this subject in the House of Representatives.
I invite you to join me and local business and community leaders at the Point Arena City Hall on Friday, March 29, at 11:00 am where I will announce the next steps we'll be taking to promote this coastal monument addition. Students from the Pacific Charter School will share watercolor paintings they have prepared to accompany a letter for First Lady Michelle Obama asking for her help in getting these lands designated as part of the Coastal Monument.
California's leaders have a strong history of preserving our state's magnificent natural resources and picturesque landscapes, and the Point Arena-Stornetta public lands on the Mendocino Coast will be a great addition to that legacy. I am honored to represent these magnificent lands in Congress, and hope to be able to report soon that we have once again worked together to safeguard our coastline.
Jared Huffman is the U.S. Congressman from California's 2nd Congressional District, which includes Mendocino County.