Southeast Utah is perhaps the most archaeologically rich area on the planet. Yet, the hundreds of thousands of cultural sites in the greater Bears Ears region aren’t just traces of the past. For the Indigenous people Friends of Cedar Mesa strives to support, this cultural landscape provides a living connection to tradition, oral history, spirituality, sustenance, and healing. While FCM is a place-based organization focused on southeast Utah, it’s worth noting that this cultural landscape, sacred to modern Indigenous people, extends far beyond present Utah boundaries. Clearly, our work is part of a larger cultural preservation effort that extends from Chaco to Grand Staircase and beyond.
As we look forward to 2021, the opportunities to advance protection for Bears Ears are exciting and tangible. While we’ll make no predictions as to the details of how and when, we are confident that renewed protections for Cedar Mesa and the larger Bears Ears National Monument are likely only months away.
If you value the importance of local voices and experts in advocacy for Bears Ears, please consider a year-end donation to support FCM!
FCM’s Preservation Archaeologist, Kenny Wintch, and cultural leaders from Pueblo of Zuni visit “The Lands Between.”(Photo Credit: Brandy Hurt)
FCM’s Preservation Archaeologist, Kenny Wintch, and cultural leaders from Pueblo of Zuni visit “The Lands Between.” (Photo Credit: Brandy Hurt)Of course, designation of a protective area is only the first step for Bears Ears, which will kick off what’s likely to be several years of work on a first-of-its-kind management plan, one that is spearheaded by Tribes and grounded in Traditional Knowledge. Such a plan has the chance to be a truly ground-breaking effort that publicly managed lands in the United States have never seen before – a plan at the behest of Tribes that balances robust protections with the need for a broad spectrum of traditional activities and recreation access. With our detailed knowledge of issues on the ground, first-hand experience educating visitors, and archaeological expertise, FCM will have an important supporting role to play in this process.
Beyond the Monument, we’re also hopeful for progress in our advocacy for “The Lands Between” Bears Ears, Hovenweep, and Canyons of the Ancients National Monuments. As you’ll recall, this area has been the target of a “fire sale” of oil and gas leasing over the last three years. FCM has led the effort to fight these sales, calling for a more balanced approach that safeguards cultural resources and facilitates responsible development.
FCM’s Kenny Wintch and Regina Fitzsimmons
We have good reason to hope that the incoming Biden Administration will take a more thoughtful approach to leasing that is based on science, legitimate Tribal Consultation, and
FCM’s Kenny Wintch and Regina Fitzsimmons the laws that safeguard cultural landscapes. Our “Lands Between” team of archaeologist Kenny Wintch and campaign coordinator Regina Fitzsimmons will be working with a number of Tribal and conservation partners in calling for a fresh approach and a restart to “smart from the start” planning for this little-known, but critically important area.
The months and years to come are rife with exciting opportunities to set a positive course for southeast Utah. We are so grateful to all our Friends for standing with us in this lifetime effort to protect and steward this unique area. If you want to be a part of this hopeful change, please consider a donation to support FCM if you can!
With thanks,
Marcia & Don Simonis (Marcia serves as a volunteer on the FCM Board of Directors.)
Marcia and Don Simonis Photo Credit: Bill Crowder