On October 15, the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition made history when it presented a detailed proposal for a Bears Ears National Monument in southeast Utah. Sovereign tribal nations have never before joined together to ask the President to use the Antiquities Act to protect public lands, which the tribes consider sacred for ancestral, traditional and cultural values.
Friends of Cedar Mesa joins many conservation organizations in expressing deep gratitude and respect for this unique Tribal-led effort to protect the Bears Ears cultural landscape.
What is the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition proposing?
The Bears Ears Buttes, after which the proposed Monument is named, rise over Cedar Mesa, with Navajo Mountain silhouetted at sunset. Photo: Tim PetersonThe Bears Ears Buttes, after which the proposed Monument is named, rise over Cedar Mesa, with Navajo Mountain silhouetted at sunset. Photo: Tim Peterson
In its groundbreaking proposal, the Inter-Tribal Coalition seeks a 1.9 million acre National Monument that is collaboratively managed by leading Native American tribes, as well as the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service and National Park Service. The Inter-Tribal Coalition consists of leaders from the Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Hopi Tribe and Uintah & Ouray Ute Indian Tribe. These sovereign Native American nations are backed by 20 other Tribes and Pueblos, as well as the larger body of Native American tribes represented by the National Congress of American Indians (see NCAI resolution here).
“Bears Ears land is a unique land. We visit for the purpose of attaining health. When we speak about health, we’re not speaking about our health. We’re speaking about everybody’s health, and the land also.”
– Phillip Vicente, Head Councilman, the Pueblo of Zuni
The proposal for the Bears Ears National Monument was presented in Washington, D.C. October 15th to the White House and Representatives Bishop and Chaffetz. The
proposed Monument would protect Cedar Mesa, along with other treasured areas like Indian Creek, Comb Ridge, Beef Basin, and White Canyon.
This has been a historic effort on the part of Native American Tribes, and the connections of indigenous people to this landscape are very clear from our vantage point. We very much agree that preservation of the lands within the Bears Ears can be a path to healing, as the Bears Ears has a long tradition of being a healing place.
We appreciated the work of the Inter-Tribal Coalition in finding collaborative, practical conservation solutions that honor the expansive history and many user groups of the Bears Ears. Showing foresight, the Inter-Tribal Coalition included important reassurances to non-native people who care about Bears Ears. For example:
“. . .this proposed monument will be open to all members of the public and the Tribes fully accept and honor their obligation to administer this area fairly and equally for all persons.”
“Members of the public and other key stakeholders would have ample opportunity to contribute to the development of the plan through normal NEPA processes.”
This Ancestral grave site was destroyed by looters.Many of our “Friends” choose to live near or visit frequently the greater Cedar Mesa area and the Bears Ears because this landscape is the most cherished place on earth to us. Like you, FCM cares deeply about the land and the details of how the land is managed. Because we visit these lands on a daily basis, we see the impacts of looting, uneducated visitation, irresponsible motorized use, unmanaged natural resource collection, improperly managed livestock grazing and oil drilling. We see real urgency to address these problems with practical, collaborative solutions. We may not agree on every management detail in the years to come, but we support and honor the Inter-Tribal Coalition’s leadership and thoughtful proposal.
“What we are celebrating is something new – something fresh – something you’ve never seen or experienced before. This is what we’re offering to not just our interests but to the interest of everybody who values these lands from all over the world.”
– Eric Descheenie, Co-Chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and Advisor to the Navajo Nation President
Watch a 5-minute video of highlights from the press conference.
FCM’s continuing work to save America’s most significant unprotected cultural landscape
As you know Friends of Cedar Mesa has put in hundreds of hours of advocacy working to include protection for the greater Cedar Mesa area and the Bears Ears in legislation being drafted as part of the Public Lands Initiative (PLI) lead by Utah Congressmen Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz. Unfortunately, the odds of a legislative bill we can support passing Congress appear incredibly low, especially given the PLI has been delayed many times and will likely include many “non-starter” provisions, such as an energy zone covering much of the Bears Ears, including the Comb Ridge.
Given that it’s unrealistic to count on legislation protecting a large cultural landscape in southeastern Utah, we are especially grateful for the leadership of the Inter-Tribal Coalition in starting the conversation with the President about the need for a National Monument. While we have always said we prefer a Congressional designation of a National Conservation Area, now is the time to act on behalf of a landscape that should have been protected 100 years ago. This landscape and the cultural resources that make it so sacred simply cannot handle another decade of the status quo of minimal management resources, increasing visitation, and continuing threats.
If and when legislation is introduced, Friends of Cedar Mesa will advocate for a landscape-scale National Conservation Area in San Juan County that protects cultural resources, recreation access, and lands held sacred by our Native American friends and neighbors. Should the legislative process fail, we have confidence that the Bears Ears Proposal as envisioned by the Inter-Tribal Coalition will bring the necessary resources, oversight and creativity needed to preserve these lands.
In the meantime, FCM will continue to work on interim solutions to management issues like uneducated-visitation, looting and energy development while a plan for permanently protecting Bears Ears and Cedar Mesa is developed.