The Berryessa Snow Mountain region is now officially a national monument.

President Barack Obama’s designation came after years of work by government leaders such as Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Assemblyman Bill Dodd, D-Solano, and local residents. It permanently preserves 331,000 acres of existing federal land, rich with wildlife and a haven for recreational activity due to its close proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.

Berryessa Snow Mountain now joins the ranks of such celebrated American landmarks as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Muir Woods.

“The designation of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument marks the culmination of a long-standing effort to promote and protect the Berryessa Snow Mountain Wilderness,” Dodd said. “This is a great win for California and our environment, our local economies, and future generations. President Obama has answered the call of our region and of our state to preserve these lands.”

The designation has been a long time coming.

“After years of tireless work by countless numbers of people, the Berryessa Snow Mountain region is finally getting the permanent protection it deserves,” Thompson said. “This national monument designation will provide a boost to our local economy, enhance recreational opportunities for tens of thousands of people, and protect important wildlife.”

The designation follows a recent resolution by Dodd that called on the president to create the national monument. The resolution was passed by the state legislature with bipartisan support. The resolution marked the first time the State of California has formally petitioned the White House for such a designation.

The resolution pointed out that the region spreads across Solano, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Yolo counties, and is “rich in wildlife, including bald and gold eagles, black bears, mountain lions, tule elk, river otters and the rare Pacific fisher.”

It is also described in the resolution as a “biodiversity hotspot and includes numerous trails, open spaces, lakes, and rivers that help create a fishing, camping, boating, birding, horseback-riding, bicycling, and off-highway vehicle paradise.”

Additionally, “permanently protecting the Berryessa Snow Mountain region will ensure continued recreational opportunities while safeguarding the region’s beauty, wildlife, rare plants, agriculture, and water, which includes important sources of drinking water and irrigation for nearby communities,” the resolution states.

Government representatives applauded the designation.

“The President’s proclamation protects this region, its plants and wildlife, and enables local farmers and ranchers to continue sustainably working this land,” said Cailfornia Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Solano. “This designation will also expand opportunities for Californians to explore this region’s rich natural environment and way of life, bringing important tourism dollars into local communities. I thank the President and all those who made today possible.”

Congressman John Garamendi, D-Solano, agreed.

“Today’s designation … is a victory for local communities, local economies, and the environment,” he said. “It will improve management of native wildlife, protect water quality in vital watersheds, and enhance the experience for the area’s numerous visitors.”

First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents to protect areas of unique significance to national heritage. There are now 117 National Monument designations throughout the United States and occupied territories, Obama is responsible for 19 of those designations.

Friday, according to The White House Office of the Press Secretary, two other locations received the National Monument designation: Waco Mammoth in Texas where a “significant paleontological site” features well-preserved remains of 24 Columbian Mammoths; and Basin and Range in Nevada, an iconic American landscape that includes rock art dating back 4,000 years and “serves as an irreplaceable resource for archaeologists, historians, and ecologists.”

Studies have shown significant economic benefits to areas surrounding national monuments, and a study commissioned by the Winters Chamber of Commerce anticipates $50 million in additional economic activity during the next five years in the Berryessa Snow Mountain region due to the designation. Recent estimates show upwards of $50 billion is added to the national economy from visits to public lands every year. In California, tens of millions of people participate in outdoor recreation, supporting more than 700,000 jobs. The designation of the national monument was supported by a broad coalition of hundreds of local businesses, environmental organizations, and outdoor recreation groups. The local conservation group Tuleyome took a leadership role.

The site, according to a statement from The White House, will be jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.