Here are a couple of links to recent articles from High Country News and CNN about the current and future work in the Bears Ears issue. With the change in administration and nomination of Representative (NM) Deb Haaland to serve as Secretary of the Interior, there is renewed hope to reverse the harmful impacts implemented by the Trump administration.

For my part, I want to continue to highlight the actual fieldwork that continues to address the impacts that are resulting from increased visitation to archaeological sites and the overall landscape. This work is being done by various groups, such as Friends of Cedar Mesa and Woods Canyon Archaeological Consultants (who I work for), as well as numerous volunteers and Indigenous community members. The political and legal controversy of the monument often overshadows this fieldwork and I want to give greater recognition to these efforts and the need for increased resources, personnel and funding to continue this work into the long-term.

I plan on writing a much lengthier blog post about this work and what has been achieved in the past couple years and what we have planned for the coming field season. Stay Tuned!

Click Here to read the HCN article.

Click Here to read the CNN article.