President Joe Biden on Wednesday designated Camp Hale, a World War II-era military training site, and the nearby Tenmile Range as Americas newest national monument, bringing more than 50,000 federal acres under a new set of protections that will bar new mining, drilling and other development.

Located in central Colorado, Camp Hale is where the U.S. Armys 10th Mountain Division trained soldiers to ski and rock climb in preparation for deployment to Italy during World War II. The Army shuttered the site in 1965, and it has become a destination for hikers and campers as part of the White River National Forest .

Tenmile Range, which runs north to south between the resort towns of Breckenridge and Copper Mountain, is home to more than a dozen high-elevation peaks that served as a training ground for the 10th Mountain Division.

Biden signed a proclamation establishing Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument during a visit to the historic military site on Wednesday.

When you think about the natural beauty of Colorado and the history of our nation, you find it here, Biden said at the signing ceremony. Soaring peaks and steep canyons. Black bears, bald eagles, moose, mountain lions, waterfalls, pristine rivers, alpine lakes, the scent of wildflowers at the right time of the year, and the stunning backdrop of ski slopes and iconic trails. These treasured lands tell the story of America.

Biden previously restored three national monuments that his predecessor dismantled, but this will be his first designation as president. The site will be managed by the U.S. Forest Service and span nearly 54,000 acres an area larger than Washington, D.C.

The administration separately took the first step on Wednesday toward establishing a 20-year ban on all new drilling and mining activity across an additional 225,000 acres in Thompson Divide, also located in the White River National Forest.

The effort comes just weeks after Democratic leaders in Colorado urged Biden to use his executive authority to preserve Colorado lands amid roadblocks to passing a conservation package through a divided Senate.

With every passing year, there are fewer World War II veterans who trained at Camp Hale left to tell their story, which is why it is so important that we protect this site now, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said in a statement ahead of Bidens visit. This designation and the administrations efforts to protect the Thompson Divide enjoy broad, bipartisan support from Coloradans, and testify to the hard work of local leaders and groups, who have worked for years to preserve this vital part of our history and our landscapes.