- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
The Bureau of Land Management Monticello Field Office and U.S. Department of Agriculture Mani-La Sal National Forest will be hosting a public meeting of the Bears Ears National Monument Advisory Committee on Wednesday, November 8.
Planned agenda items include an overview of the resource management planning efforts to date, next steps in planning, general management, and administrative updates. The agenda will include time for public comment.
Bears Ears National Monument, located in southeastern Utah and encompassing more than 1.3 million acres, carries a rich cultural heritage and is held sacred by many Native American Tribes, who continue to rely on the lands for traditional and ceremonial purposes. The area includes more than 100,000 archaeological sites.
Bears Ears has been the subject of many legal filings since President Barack Obama declared it a National Monument in 2016. In 2017, Trump cut the size of the area protected by the National Monument designation by nearly three-quarters. In 2021 on his first day in office, President Joe Biden restored the protected area. ; the state of Utah sued the administration in 2022, alleging that Biden’s restoration “violates a law that limits U.S. presidents to create monuments “confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected.” In August 2023, a U.S. District Judge dismissed the lawsuit.
The Bears Ears National Monument Advisory Committee is a citizen-based committee consisting of up to 15 members representing interests in the local community and monument values. Members represent a variety of local interests and expertise, including representatives of tribes that have ancestral ties to the area, including Navajo Nation, Hopi, Ute Mountain Ute, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, and the Pueblo of Zuni.
The meeting will take place on Wednesdy, November 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT at the Hideout located at 648 South Hideout Way, Monticello, UT 84535. There will also be a virtual meeting attendance option.
More Stories Like This
A True American Tale: Indigenous Rights vs. Corporate GreedIn photos: Residents of Western Alaska Share Storm Damage of Ex-Typhoon Halong
Where the Buffalo Roam: Tribes Lead Bison Return for Food Sovereignty
Invasive fruit fly hits the Yakama Nation’s huckleberry fields
Former US Attorney General William Barr Challenges Religious Claims Over Oak Flat Mine
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
