00:00Nestled off the coast of Southern California, San Clemente Island stands as the final jewel in the Channel Islands chain.
00:07It is a land of contrasts, where a rich tapestry of unique plants and animals thrive alongside ancient cultural sites
00:15that trace human history back for thousands of years.
00:19This vital ecosystem also plays a crucial modern role as an indispensable training ground for the Department of the Navy,
00:26ensuring military preparedness.
00:29For decades, the Navy and Marine Corps have trained sailors and Marines to be prepared to defend the United States,
00:36its territories, allies and interests.
00:39At the same time, the Navy has made significant strides in restoring San Clemente Island to a fully functional ecosystem.
00:47These conservation efforts resulted in the largest delisting of threatened or endangered species in the history of the Endangered Species
00:55Act,
00:55demonstrating the successful balance of military readiness with environmental protection and species recovery.
01:03Worldwide, the Navy and Marine Corps collectively manage more than 4 million acres of land and habitat.
01:09And a significant portion of this area is considered biologically important.
01:13As a steward of the environment, the Department of the Navy takes its responsibility as a conservator of the land
01:21and natural and cultural resources under its care seriously and invests millions of dollars annually for their protection to support
01:29the military mission.
01:31San Clemente Island, located 68 nautical miles northwest of San Diego, is an island under federal jurisdiction operated by the
01:40Navy.
01:41The island is approximately 21 miles long and 4 miles at its widest point, with an area of more than
01:4736,000 acres.
01:50The island's rugged terrain, isolated environment, and proximity to the largest concentration of naval forces in the United States make
01:58it an ideal location for training sailors and marines, and testing new technologies.
02:04While a small portion of the island is used for live fire and other military readiness activities, the remaining land
02:11is actively managed as a safety and conservation buffer,
02:14which is essential to the overall military mission on the island.
02:18Given its controlled and realistic environment, San Clemente Island provides unique range capabilities critical to maintaining military readiness.
02:27The island is the only place in the United States where certain training activities can occur, such as live naval
02:33gunnery training coordinated with amphibious landings.
02:37San Clemente Island is an increasingly important asset to the Navy and Marine Corps because of its distinctive factors and
02:45the singular training opportunities it affords.
02:47To preserve and sustain the critical training and testing occurring on and around San Clemente Island,
02:53the Department of the Navy invests heavily in maintaining and improving capabilities and systems that support fleet readiness,
03:00allowing sailors and marines to maximize training effectiveness.
03:05Protecting the island's resources and investing in training capabilities ensures the Navy and Marine Corps can fulfill their mission requirements.
03:14San Clemente Island has a rich and deep archaeological record with evidence of indigenous human activity dating back 10,000
03:22years.
03:22The Navy manages the island with a focus on protecting cultural resources and archaeological sites and works collaboratively with federally
03:31recognized tribes for their continued protection while meeting military readiness requirements.
03:37Navy scientists and partners, including archaeologists, biologists and botanists, work diligently to identify culturally significant sites and artifacts,
03:47remove invasive species, restore sensitive habitats, and recover endangered and threatened species present on the island.
03:55Some plants and animals are unique to San Clemente Island and are not found anywhere else, such as the San
04:02Clemente Loggerhead Shrike,
04:04the San Clemente Island Fox, and the Bell Sparrow.
04:08As a result of decades of conservation efforts by the Navy and its partners,
04:12five species once on the threatened or endangered species list have recovered.
04:18In January 2023, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced the full recovery of four threatened or endangered plants
04:26and one threatened bird,
04:28resulting in their removal from the endangered or threatened species list.
04:32This achievement is the largest removal of listed species in the 50-year history of the Endangered Species Act.
04:39The Navy is proud of its strong record of stewardship on San Clemente Island, working alongside experts from partner organizations,
04:48government agencies, academia, and tribes to meet the common goal of a healthy, diverse, and functioning ecosystem.
04:56The Navy's successful conservation programs illustrate that a balance between maintaining military readiness
05:03and protecting natural and cultural resources can be achieved.
05:08the Navy's successful conservation programs are all in the Select Big Ange Bay活動
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