Prescott College Denounces Continued Rollback of Public Land Protections

PRESCOTT, Ariz., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prescott College strongly condemns efforts that undermine Tribal leadership in the stewardship of sacred landscapes. This includes erosion of protections for America's public lands, including recent actions affecting Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.  

"As a Prescott College faculty and community member, I am heartbroken by the attacks on Bears Ears and Escalante National Monuments, and the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. We must stand with the Tribal Nations whose current and ancestral stewardship has shaped these lands, alongside the educators, scientists, students, and conservation organizations working to protect these extraordinary places. These are more than protected lands—they are sacred, living landscapes central to our longstanding commitment to experiential education rooted in place, relationship, and reciprocity," Cecil Goodman, Ph.D., Faculty & Director, Adventure Education

For more than half a century, Prescott College has embraced the mesas, canyons, rivers, and deserts of the Colorado Plateau are not simply destinations for field study—they are living landscapes where students learn ecology, conservation, Indigenous knowledge, public policy, environmental, and social justice through direct experience. 

"I condemn the continued attacks on public lands, most recently evidenced by the shrinking of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. As a College community, we recognize the Inter-Tribal Coalition and the care with which they have stewarded these regions since time immemorial. These areas are part of our Southwest classroom, and continued access to them is of the utmost importance for our College, and our current and future students," said Mike Riley, Ph.D. Prescott College Adventure Education Faculty

Ways to Take Action

Prescott College encourages members of its community to become informed and engaged in the protection of public lands.

Individuals can:

• Support organizations advocating for public lands protection, including the Outdoor Alliance.
• Learn directly from the Inter-Tribal organizations working to protect Bears Ears.
• Stay informed about public comment opportunities affecting federal land management.
• Contact elected representatives to express support for science-based conservation and Tribal co-management.

SOURCE Prescott College