Speak Up for Indigenous Stewardship of Wildlife Habitat

 

TAKE ACTION

For centuries, Indigenous peoples stewarded the more than one million acres of sweeping desert landscape that is now part of the Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah. This stunning area is home to sacred Indigenous sites, cultural artifacts, countless wildlife species—including desert bighorn sheep—and is a cherished place for all to connect with the natural world. In what will hopefully become a model for the way public lands are managed in the future, the Department of the Interior recently released a draft plan to ensure that the area will be co-managed by Tribes, using Western science and Traditional Ecological Knowledges. Will you speak out in support of managing this vast landscape in full partnership with the Tribes who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial? I SUPPORT TRIBAL STEWARDSHIP OF WILDLIFE HABITAT Desert bighorn sheep, which nearly disappeared from Utah following European settlement, act as an important indicator species signifying the health of their ecosystem. They are especially sensitive to habitat degradation and require healthy, wide-open spaces to survive. support the proposal for the federal government to partner with the Tribes, whose traditional beliefs and practices are inextricably tied to safeguarding wildlife and the natural world. The newly released plan for managing the 1.4 million acres of Bears Ears was developed in collaboration among five Tribal Nations and the federal government. It shows a strong commitment to collaborative management that provides for safeguarding wildlife habitat and protecting cultural resources, while also making sure people have opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Urge the Federal government to adopt this historic plan. The proposed plan was the result of a two-year collaboration among five Tribes of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition – Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation – along with federal partners at the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. This partnership approach: Protects wildlife habitat, watersheds, and public lands Responsibly manages access to the Bears Ears National Monument in a way that allows current and future visitors to recreate, hunt, and fish, while also responding to the needs and health of the land. Upholds the sovereignty of the Tribes and honors their personal, traditional, and cultural connections to land Reflects time-tested best practices for land management passed down over centuries from the original, and ongoing, stewards of this land Thank you for being an ally to Tribal nations in support of their vision for Bears Ears and its lands, waters, and wildlife.     With Appreciation, Karla Raettig Executive Director National Wildlife Federation Action Fund

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