Obama Names New Mexico's Rio Grande Gorge a National Monument

President Obama has designated five new national monuments, including one in northern New Mexico that encompasses more than 200,000 acres of spectacular wild lands. The Rio Grande del Norte is home to one of the great migratory bird routes in the world, and habitat for bear, deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. The monument designation will preserve this special land and the culture and traditions of its people.

The President also named Washington State's San Juan Islands and historic sites in Delaware, Maryland, and Ohio as national monuments.

Watch a video and learn more about America's wild places on Pew's environmental initiatives website.