Castner Range

Castner Range is nestled within the Franklin Mountains in the majority-Latinx community of El Paso, Texas, best known by the locals for its annual display of blooming Mexican Yellow Poppies, and the range’s vast history and historical significance dating back thousands of years of Indigenous history. It is currently owned by the Department of Defense, and is a part of Fort Bliss.

As the population of this region has increased over time, an imbalance between the developed and natural landscapes arose, resulting in a disproportionate urbanization of land. Despite decades of industrialization and commercial development, El Paso remains one of the nation’s cities with the lowest per-capita household income. For decades, the community has sought to protect the area to better access and enjoy the beautiful space of Castner Range.

The greater El Paso community, Texas conservation groups, local governments, El Paso business associations, and racially and ethnically diverse national environmental leaders are all calling on President Biden to protect and designate Castner Range as a national monument.