Setting a National Standard for Collaborative Management, Bears Ears Resource Management Plan Finalized

The Bears Ears Commission recognizes this groundbreaking partnership with federal agencies as a model for collaboration, unity, trust, and shared responsibility in land stewardship.

BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT, Utah, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission proudly announce the finalization of the Bears Ears Resource Management Plan (RMP), a historic achievement for the management of Bears Ears National Monument that underscores the power of unity, trust, and shared responsibility in land stewardship. This moment represents a transformative step forward in fostering collaborative partnerships between Tribal Nations and the federal government.

Developed through years of meaningful collaboration between the five Commission Tribes— The Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, and Ute Indian Tribe of Uintah and Ouray Reservation—working with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, the RMP reflects a shared vision for preserving Bears Ears as a sacred cultural and ecological landscape. The plan emphasizes collaborative management, recognizing traditional knowledge and expertise, cultural preservation, ecological integrity, and responsible recreation, all while ensuring the protection of sacred places and resources for future generations.

"Bears Ears National Monument embodies our ancestral ties and sacred landscapes," said Craig Andrews, Vice Chairman of The Hopi Tribe and Bears Ears Commissioner. "Our Navoti (knowledge) of Hopi presence, expressed through ceremony, prayer, and pilgrimage, reflects our deep connection to Hoon Naq'vu (Bears Ears). This management plan is a testament to the trust and cooperation that form the foundation of collaborative management, affirming Tribal knowledge and the shared responsibility of stewarding these lands together for future generations to come."

The Bears Ears Commission appreciates the unprecedented unity and trust that shaped the RMP. It exemplifies how Tribal Nations and federal agencies can come together as partners to safeguard sacred landscapes.

"This partnership is a powerful demonstration of what can be accomplished when we work together with trust and shared purpose," said Anthony Sanchez Jr., Head Councilman for the Zuni Tribe and Co-Chair of the Bears Ears Commission. "The collaborative management partnership sets a new precedent for relationships between Tribal Nations and the federal government, showing how mutual respect and understanding can create lasting solutions for public lands."

As the Bears Ears Commission, and the Tribal communities they represent, celebrate this historic milestone, it remains steadfast in its commitment to the principles of collaborative management with federal agencies. The Tribes will continue to work with federal, state, and community partners to deepen public understanding of Bears Ears as a sacred cultural landscape and to ensure the plan's values endure amid future challenges.

"Bears Ears is deeply woven into the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Ute Mountain Ute people, where the echoes of our ancestors can still be heard if we listen closely," said Malcolm Lehi, Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Councilman and Bears Ears Commissioner. "The Resource Management Plan embodies the collective dedication of the Tribes and federal agencies to honor and safeguard this sacred landscape. The finalization of this plan marks a significant step forward in ensuring that our voices and traditional knowledge remain central to the stewardship of these lands for future generations."

"Shash Ja'a (Bears Ears) is part of our sacred mountains, embodying Hózh̨ǫ—harmony, balance, and beauty. Hózh̨ǫ is everything we carry in our Jish (medicine bundle)," said Curtis Yanito, Navajo Nation Council Delegate and Co-Chair of the Bears Ears Commission. "The Bears Ears Commissioners and federal agency partners who have worked to protect every sacred element outlined in the Resource Management Plan shall be honored for generations."

The Bears Ears RMP stands as a living reflection of collaborative management, demonstrating that unity, trust, and shared responsibility are the foundation for protecting sacred landscapes. It marks a national milestone in Indigenous-informed land stewardship and serves as a model for collaborative management across the country.

"Bears Ears is a sacred place that holds the wisdom and teachings of our people. Our identity is rooted in the landscape and is a place of healing for our people—from the tiny tots to the elders," said Christopher Tabbee, Vice Chairman of the Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee and Bears Ears Commissioner. "The Resource Management Plan provides an opportunity for all of us to better protect and manage these lands for future generations. Our collaborative work at Bears Ears should be a model for the management of all federal public lands. In a time of increasing drought, wildfires, and other challenges we face, we need to incorporate Tribal knowledge and expertise in federal land management practices."

About the Bears Ears Commission
The Bears Ears Commission is composed of five Tribal Nations—Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, The Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation—who work collaboratively with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to manage and steward the Bears Ears National Monument. The Commission represents the first time in U.S. history that a coalition of Tribal Nations has collaborated with federal agencies to craft a management plan for a national monument. The Commission was established during the Obama administration, following the President's proclamation that established Bears Ears as a National Monument.

About the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition (BEITC): The BEITC is a fiscally sponsored project of the Resources Legacy Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which relies on charitable giving to support the Bears Ears Commission in fulfilling its collaborative management responsibilities. Follow the Coalition on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Bears Ears Commission