Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that the land on which our home office is located and where members of our staff live and execute our business is the original land of the Utes–Nuuchiu–the longest continuous residents of Colorado.
We created this land acknowledgement to recognize and understand the longstanding history and continued importance of Indigenous people.
Land Acknowledgement Goals
Our goals for this land acknowledgement are based on our commitment to living our values of equity, diversity, inclusion and allyship, and continuing to set an example for others in public land conservation.
As allies, our goals are to elevate Indigenous perspectives, values and leadership in the protection and management of public lands.
The history of public lands is complex, and we will do our best to continually unpack that history with respect and grace.
Land Acknowledgement
We recognize that we are on stolen land. As such, this land acknowledgement is a tribute to the continued resilience of Indigenous people after the genocide committed against them. It is also a living celebration of Indigenous communities; they are still here.
We acknowledge that the land on which our home office is located and where members of our staff live and execute our business is the original land of the Utes–Nuuchiu–the longest continuous residents of Colorado .
The Utes originally comprised 13 Tribal Bands and each lived within or inhabited an area of Colorado, as well as parts of Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma, which they called home.
The original peoples of Colorado have maintained their presence here for more than 18,000 years. The Mouache and Capote bands called this place home until they were forcibly removed to southern Colorado to become the Southern Ute Reservation Tribe.
During the rush for land in the West, the Utes (like most Indigenous tribes) were forcibly removed from their homelands by miners and settlers. After encompassing the state of Colorado, the Utes were relegated to a small area in Colorado and Utah to call home.
We, at Conservation Lands Foundation, acknowledge the colonial history of public lands and land ownership. We will keep this history in our hearts and minds when we use terms like “public lands” and “National Conservation Lands” particularly around the concept of “ownership.” These are not “our” lands, they never were. This is Indigenous land and we commit to doing our best to honor the original stewards and caretakers of these lands in our endeavor to protect, restore, and expand National Conservation Lands.
