Tribal Nations Reaffirm Commitment to Bears Ears Following Monument Rollbacks

The five Tribal Nations comprising the Bears Ears Commission have reiterated their dedication to preserving their sacred ancestral lands. This comes after a presidential proclamation drastically reduced the Bears Ears National Monument, undermining years of collaborative public land management progress.

These Tribal Nations view Bears Ears as an interconnected, living cultural landscape where the land itself—its sites, waters, plants, animals, and sacred places—must be protected. The reduction of the monument is seen as a significant setback for the model of collaborative management between Tribal Nations and federal agencies.

Over recent years, the Bears Ears Commission collaborated with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to develop and implement a resource management plan. This plan is considered a historic achievement, demonstrating how Traditional Indigenous Knowledge and Western science can work together to care for the region.

Tribal leaders have expressed disappointment with the decision, stating it weakens protections and disregards their deep cultural and spiritual connections to the area. They emphasize that their responsibility to care for Bears Ears remains unchanged and that they will continue efforts to protect these sacred homelands for future generations, regardless of the monument's diminished size or the commission's status.