Bears Ears National Monument is a relatively new slice of protected lands put under the watch of the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and many other private advocacy groups. New to official protection but old in terms of historic and natural riches, this southeastern Utah treasure boasts an impressive 1.35-million acres of designated landscape. A land of beautiful mesas and rolling scenery, Bears Ears National Monument sits just between the Colorado and Dolores Rivers in Utah.
Official Designation
President Barack Obama designated this area nationally protected on December 28, 2016. This was done by way of Presidential Proclamation and pronounced this land as a national treasure and thus protected. The proclamation was also a result of much lobbying on part of Native American groups and other various advocates.
Geographic Significance
This particular section of land is highly significant in a number of important areas. These include history, culture, paleontology, botany, and geology among others. Starting all the way back with the dinosaurs, this area became a hotbed for activity and subsequent fossilized remains.
From this time on, Native Americans settled this area and called it home. For thousands of years, tribes like the Ute and Navajo made a life here and also defended the sanctity of their sacred land. Remnants of ancient mankind can be found at every turn here, as well as living tribal members.
By way of natural features, this area of Utah also exhibits some very particular and intriguing flora and fauna. This unique ecology brings thousands of visitors each year. Others, however, are simply drawn by the amazing astronomical opportunities of the area.
In the end, there are countless reasons for the intrigue that is now Bears Ears National Monument. This scenic stretch of the Cedar Mesa and Abajo mountains is the epitome of mystical. Today, anyone can visit and experience this sacred and officially protected marvel — unless the current presidential administration decides otherwise.
Featured Image from Emily Campbell/Unsplash
