The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition is excited to announce the 2025 Bears Ears Conservation Corps!
About the Bears Ears Conservation Corps
With the goal of strengthening Indigenous-led land stewardship in the Bears Ears National Monument, the Tribal Leaders of the Bears Ears Commission established the Bears Ears Conservation Corps (BECC). The program brings together community members from each of the five Tribes for a seven day immersive experience on the sacred Bears Ears landscape. Participants camp within the Bears Ears National Monument, learning about Traditional Indigenous Knowledge and participating in conservation projects that support the Commission’s collaborative management priorities.
The program is open to members of Coalition Tribes over the age of 16 as the program aims to recognize that elders, adults, and youth all carry distinct and vital knowledge necessary for caring for ancestral lands. This inter-generational program ensures that Bears Ears is not only protected today, but safeguarded for generations to come. The BECC initiative marks another powerful step forward in honoring Tribal sovereignty over ancestral lands and cultivating the next generation of land stewards.
The Bears Ears Conservation Corps also serves as a pathway for professional development. Participants work side-by-side with Coalition staff, Tribal leaders, and local community members to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a steward of the land. This program provides participants with skills applicable to careers in land management, cultural preservation, outdoor education, environmental conservation, and grassroots advocacy. In addition to these hands-on learning opportunities, participants will receive a stipend, outdoor gear, meals, lodging and reimbursements for travel expenses.

This intergenerational program ensures that Bears Ears is not only protected today, but safeguarded for generations to come.


PROGRAM DETAILS
Now in its fourth year, the BECC will be hosted on ancestral Tribal lands in the Bears Ears National Monument (in so-called southern Utah) on June 8-14, 2025. Over the course of the program, participants will spend four nights camping within the Monument, two nights at the Canyon Country Discovery Center in Monticello, UT and one night in a hotel. This year’s program will focus on traditional survival skills, including workshops in hide tanning and butchering, an overnight rafting trip on the San Juan River, and lessons on basic survival skills.
In addition to cultural teachings, the program includes professional development opportunities including monitoring and land management projects. Participants will also engage with educational content focused on the recently finalized Bears Ears National Monument Resource Management Plan and the Visit with Respect curriculum that guides responsible visitation in the Monument.
Program Timeline
- Application Deadline: May 23, 2025
- Notification of Selection: May 30, 2025
- Introductory Zoom Meeting: June 4, 2025
- Program Dates: Sunday, June 8, 2025 – Saturday, June 14, 2025
- Final Reflection Zoom Meeting: June 25, 2025
Participant Details
- Must be from one of the five Tribes of the Coalition
- Age 16+
- Participants will receive a $600 stipend and travel expenses will be reimbursed.
- Applications must be submitted by the application deadline of May 23 through the form below or can be submitted via email to HGorman@BearsEarsCoalition.Org

Apply Here:
Bears Ears Conservation Corps
This form is an application for the Bears Ears Conservation Corps. Application Deadline: May 23, 2025. If you have trouble with submitting the form through the website, please contact Harrenson Gorman at (505) 728-1300.