Why Was the Bears Ears Commission Formed?

The Bears Ears region holds profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance to these five Tribes. In 2016, after a unified advocacy effort, President Barack Obama designated Bears Ears as a national monument, acknowledging its cultural significance and the need for protection. The Bears Ears Commission was established to guide monument stewardship in partnership with the federal government. This structure represents a new model of public land management that honors Tribal sovereignty and incorporates Traditional Indigenous Knowledge (TIK) to protect the Monument’s cultural belongings.

The Mission of the Bears Ears Commission

The Bears Ears Commission’s mission is to honor, protect, and conserve the Bears Ears landscape through the lens of Traditional Indigenous Knowledge and Tribal governance. The Commission’s work includes:

• Collaborative Management: In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Commission plays a central role in contributing to and informing the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Bears Ears. This plan outlines guidelines and regulations to ensure responsible, sustainable use of the land while prioritizing conservation through the lens of TIK.
• Protecting Sacred Places: Bears Ears is a sacred landscape filled with cultural belongings, sacred places, petroglyphs, ancestral dwellings, and natural landmarks. The Commission is committed to safeguarding these irreplaceable resources from threats like vandalism, overuse, and certain forms of  recreation that are incompatible with a sacred cultural landscape.
• Incorporating Traditional Indigenous Knowledge: The Commission brings TIK to the forefront of land management, integrating ancestral knowledge, land stewardship practices, and cultural values into conservation efforts.
• Advocacy for Indigenous Rights: As a model of Tribal collaborative management, the Commission advocates for Tribal sovereignty and the right of Tribes to lead in the stewardship of their respective sacred landscapes. The Commission hopes that its work can serve as a model for greater Indian Country, and beyond.

Key Accomplishments of the Bears Ears Commission

• Contributing to a Preferred Management Plan: The Commission  provided a standalone  NEPA alternative, “Alternative E,” for the draft Resource Management Plan for Bears Ears, the first of its kind in U.S. history. Alternative E was selected as the preferred alternative in the Draft RMP and was incorporated into the proposed final RMP. This plan prioritizes conservation, incorporates Indigenous knowledge, and seeks to ensure that land management reflects the values and priorities of the Tribes.
• Strengthening Federal-Tribal Partnerships: Through its collaboration with the BLM and USFS, the Commission has established Bears Ears as a precedent-setting model for collaborative management, with Tribal leaders taking a central role alongside federal agencies. The Commission engaged with federal agencies in planning meetings, site visits, plan review, public comment meetings, public comment review, and provided cultural sensitivity and other technical trainings.
• Advocacy on a National Stage: The Commission has mobilized support across Tribal Nations and conservation organizations, advocating for policies that uphold the protection and significance of Bears Ears in the face of changing administrations and land management policies.