Obama to protect 1.8 million acres of southern California desert

President Obama will designate three new national monuments in southern California's desert Friday, expanding federal protection to 1.8 million acres and making the southern California expanse the world's second largest wildlife preserve. The three new monuments, the Mojave Trails National Monument, Sand to Snow National Monument, and Castle Mountains National Monument, will connect three areas already under federal protection and 15 designated wilderness areas, The Hill reports.

Obama's designation of the land, which comes at the urging of California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, will double the amount of land he has set aside for conservation during his presidency. He has protected more acres of land and water than any other administration to date. "The effort to preserve the California desert has been a long one, and today is a major milestone," Feinstein said. "The California desert is a national treasure. This designation only reaffirms that fact."

Obama is traveling to Palm Springs, California, Friday to make an official announcement.