National Monuments Review a Sham?

National Monuments Review a Sham?
In a quest to shrink national monuments last year, senior Interior Department officials dismissed evidence that these public sites boosted tourism and spurred archaeological discoveries, according to documents the department released this month and retracted a day later. https://wapo.st/2uMb761 — Washington Post

Josh Ewing, Executive Director, Friends of Cedar Mesa: “The new documents released confirm what we’ve seen as a trend from the current administration to filter facts to the benefit of the extractive industry at any cost—sometimes even beyond what’s requested by industry representatives. The vast majority of Americans value indigenous sacred sites, scientific discovery, American history, and world-class recreation. Yet this vocal majority who want to see these places protected is being ignored, creating a significant danger to internationally significant landscapes like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase.” http://bit.ly/2uMqJ9w — Pacific Standard

Southern Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has helped shield archaeological sites from vandalism, bolstered tourism and spurred scientific discovery during the two decades since its designation — all without displacing cattle operations that have long used these public lands in Kane and Garfield counties. http://bit.ly/2uPANys — Salt Lake Tribune

Secretary Zinke’s Record at Interior
Zinke had come to Utah to tour a pair of national monuments, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase – Escalante, as part of a broader review ordered by the Trump administration. Prior to the visit, conservatives had derided the monuments as an example of federal overreach, mockingly referring to Bears Ears as a “midnight monument” because the designation came at the end of Barack Obama’s term. In fact, achieving protected status for Bears Ears – 1.3 million acres that had been inhabited by native peoples for “hundreds of generations,” per Obama’s proclamation – had been years in the making, representing the work of environmental groups and an extraordinary coalition of five sovereign Native nations that historically have not always worked together as allies. https://rol.st/2OdvAbT — Rolling Stone

Deeper Histories
Colorado resident Jaylyn Gough was tired of seeing the Native American roots of the outdoor spaces she loved being ignored. She knew each of these natural icons had a history—one that didn’t start with the person they were now named after. To trace these spots back to their ancestral foundations, she launched the “Whose Land Are We Exploring On” campaign and set out to learn more about America’s most famous outdoor destinations. https://on.natgeo.com/2OeTvYv — National Geographic

Commentaries: A Gift toward Healing
“We’re in a battle to save the earth,” Jewell said. “This administration will wipe out all the progress that we’ve had.” The brothers, representatives from the Lummi Nation, brought with them a large totem—9 feet tall by 3 feet wide and weighing more than a ton—as a gift to the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. The Bear Totem, carved by the James siblings, left Bellingham, Wash., early Wednesday morning, arriving in Salt Lake 36 hours later. The totem symbolizes support for the restoration of Bears Ears National Monument—which President Donald Trump shrunk by 85 percent in December—and will be at the Bears Ears Meadow for an inter-tribal gathering on July 20–22, after which it will be on display at the Southern Ute Museum in Colorado. http://bit.ly/2Og5rJJ — Salt Lake City Weekly

Protecting is a word we use a lot. But do we really understand it? If we protect the lands and waters for us, the human race, there are big spiritual benefits that ensure the safety of humanity, Mother Earth and Father Sky. When it comes to Bears Ears, it is my and the rest of my peers’ goal to protect it from being damaged. Indigenous communities have been studying the work of the Creator in this place since time immemorial. If you don’t know what sacred balance is being altered, you could bring sickness to people, animals, air, or water. http://bit.ly/2uOzZdb — Durango Herald

Poll: Western U.S. Residents Do Not Favor National Monument Reductions
A new poll from an environmental advocacy organization suggests western voters feel strongly about preserving public lands. The Denver-based Center for Western Priorities’ poll, Winning the West, asked those who were questioned online to weigh in on issues involving public lands, parks and wildlife. Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters were surveyed. http://bit.ly/2Oex5qc — Durango Herald

Commentary: A Near-Miss for AZ’s Ironwood Forest National Monument
At this time last year, Ironwood Forest was undergoing the executive ordered “review” of all national monuments over 100,000 acres designated since 2000. The good news is that Ironwood Forest remains intact. The not so good news is that, within the last week, it could have been eliminated by the stroke of a pen with no opportunity for public comment. http://bit.ly/2OfMxmb — Arizona Daily Star

Mapping Ute Mountain Tribal Park
The Ute Mountain Ute tribe is turning to high-tech aerial photogrammetry to document and preserve the history of its tribal park, which is more than twice the size of the neighboring Mesa Verde National Park and rivals its archaeological treasures. The Tribal Preservation Office will work with PaleoWest Archaeology and a grant from the Colorado Historical Society. http://bit.ly/2O9z3IB — Durango Herald

Accidental Site Information Posting, Continued
“Archaeological sites are always fragile. They are nonrenewable, and oftentimes they are sacred to tribes,” said Bill Doelle, president of Archaeology Southwest. “Caring for the information has to be done with thought and caution.” http://bit.ly/2uPjf5v — Salt Lake Tribune

Commentary: Whither Farmington, New Mexico?
Based on extensive research, O’Donnell suggests five areas of growth for the Four Corners: Tourism and recreation: We know what many do not — that the Four Corners region is rich with recreational and tourism attractions, with Farmington serving as a hub for day trips to numerous venues. From Chaco Canyon to Mesa Verde to mountain biking and hiking, Farmington can be a destination for regional, national and even international travelers alike. http://bit.ly/2OfJfzm — Santa Fe New Mexican

Fires on the Prairies
Native American communities actively managed North American prairies for centuries before Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World, according to a new study led by Southern Methodist University (SMU) archaeologist Christopher I. Roos. Fire was an important indigenous tool for shaping North American ecosystems, but the relative importance of indigenous burning versus climate on fire patterns remains controversial in scientific communities. The new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), documents the use of fire to manipulate bison herds in the northern Great Plains. http://bit.ly/2O9ofKx — Heritage Daily

Job Opportunity — University of New Mexico Press
The University of New Mexico Press (UNMP), the largest book publisher in the State of New Mexico, is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented, and organized individual for its Editor job. This position will perform a wide range of editorial support services critical to the successful book-production process. Specific duties include formatting and styling book-length manuscripts in preparation for freelance copy-editors and designers; sending materials to authors and freelancer copy-editors and indexers, as well as overseeing and evaluating freelance work; copy-editing book-length manuscripts; reviewing cover copy and proofreading final covers; applying for Cataloging-in-Publication data from the Library of Congress; proofreading final page proofs and formatting and editing indexes; and providing backup support and direct assistance to the Editorial, Digital, and Production Manager. http://bit.ly/2uMNBpx

Announcement: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument 2018 Artist-in-Residence
Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance (SCCA) & Canyons of the Ancients NM (CANM) are pleased to announce Lanny Wagner as 2018 Artist-in-Residence. Concentrating on night photography, Wagner will present an introductory astrophotography workshop to the public in September. He has been AiR for El Malpais and El Morro & has conducted night photography sessions at Hovenweep NM. His work will be on display at CANM Visitor Center and Museum, & one photograph will be reproduced for BLM & SCCA promotional & educational purposes. For more information contact David Kill at 970-882-5621 or dkill@blm.gov. https://on.doi.gov/2uMOjDd

Lecture Opportunity, Cortez CO
Nearly 1,000 years ago, Sunset Crater near present-day Flagstaff, Arizona, erupted—sending lava flows pouring out for several miles in every direction, blanketing more than 800 square miles with volcanic ash, and disrupting the lives of the ancient Sinagua people who lived in the area as well as their ancestral Pueblo neighbors in what is today the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. The impact the eruption of Sunset Crater had on the Sinagua and other ancestral Pueblo groups will be the topic of Dr. Kenneth Barnett Tankersley’s Four Corners Lecture Series presentation, “Sunset Crater and Its Impact on Ancestral Puebloans,” on Wednesday, August 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, located at 23390 Road K in Cortez. http://bit.ly/2uTo3an

Editors’ note: WNMU Museum was open on July 20 for a special preview, and then will be closed until its transformation is complete. We regret the error in our headline, and we thank Dr. Bettison for the correction.

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Questions? sat-editor@archaeologysouthwest.org