The Conservation Lands Foundation Responds to Bureau of Land Management’s Proposed Land-Use Plan for Bears Ears National Monument in Utah
Utah - Today, the Conservation Lands Foundation welcomes the release of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service’s final environmental impact statement and proposed resource management plan for Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, a crucial step in ensuring the protection of one of the nation’s most culturally and ecologically significant landscapes. The 1.36-million-acre monument is a living testament to the ancestral homelands of Tribal Nations and holds an unparalleled richness of cultural sites, historic landmarks, and natural wonders.
This proposed plan represents the culmination of years of collaboration between the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission and local stakeholders. Importantly, the plan honors Tribal co-stewardship, recognizing the Bears Ears Commission and formally incorporating Traditional Indigenous Knowledge into the monument’s management framework. This approach marks a pivotal shift in how public lands are protected and managed, setting a new standard for federal-Tribal partnerships.
Statement from Ben Katz, Southwest associate program director for Conservation Lands Foundation:
“As the only nonprofit solely dedicated to protecting, restoring, and expanding the BLM’s National Conservation Lands system, the Conservation Lands Foundation remains deeply engaged in BLM land-use planning across the West to ensure that these plans guide future management decisions in the right way.
“While we are still reviewing the proposed plan, we are encouraged by the emphasis on Tribal co-stewardship, which ensures that the voices of the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and Pueblo of Zuni will continue to shape the future of Bears Ears.
"This plan is a significant step toward righting historic wrongs and fostering a collective healing process, going further than simply conserving land and toward safeguarding the cultural heritage, traditions, and identity of Indigenous communities who have been stewarding this landscape since time immemorial.”
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Conservation Lands Foundation published this page in Latest News 2024-10-04 14:05:19 -0600
