Parks Group Applauds Bears Ears Tribal Co-management Agreement

Washington DC – The Biden administration today reached a historic agreement to give five Native American tribes more say over the management of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Statement from Theresa Pierno, president and chief executive of the National Parks Conservation Association:

“Finally, Bears Ears will be managed in a partnership with tribes. With equal voices, we can preserve this sacred and culturally important place together and share the responsibility to protect it for generations to come.

The story of Bears Ears goes back 13,000 years, to the people who first lived on and cared for these lands. Honoring that history requires those with the traditional ecological knowledge and cultural wisdom to properly understand and care for this incredible landscape.

With today’s agreement which includes funding and supporting Tribal staffing and co-management, we are creating a future for Bears Ears where visitors will see and hear about history and cultures that truly reflects Hopi, Navajo, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, Zuni, and other Pueblo Tribes.”

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About National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA): Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its nearly 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.