Bears Ears National Monument

The Story of Bears Ears National Monument

With strong religious community support, President Obama designated Bears Ears National Monument on December 28, 2016. Read the Presidential Proclamation, which includes details about how the monument will be managed. The Bears Ears region is a unique place full of profound cultural, spiritual, historical, recreational, and ecological riches. The monument is historic because it is the first and only U.S. national monument that primarily focuses on Indigenous heritage. By order of the Presidential Proclamation, the Bears Ears Commission of officially appointed tribal representatives will share their land stewardship gifts and expertise with the Department of Interior. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has not met with the Bears Ears Commission of Tribes, demonstrating disrespect for their leadership.
On April 26, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Interior to conduct a review of national monuments, to determine whether they should be eliminated or shrunk. In July 2017, US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke recommended dramatic reduction in size and protections for Bears Ears. On December 4, President Trump signed a presidential proclamation reducing Bears Ears National Monument by 85%, endangering tens of thousands of Native American sacred sites, and crucial wildlife habitats.

Religious Community Statements of Support for the establishment of Bears Ears National Monument

• News Release: Faith Communities Celebrate Bears Ears National Monument Designation (12.28.16)
  
• Press Release: Creation Justice Ministries Deeply Concerned About the Public Lands Initiative (9.22.16)
• A Christian Call to Stewardship of Bears Ears | Indian Country Today | by Rev. Tweedy Sombrero Navarrete and Shantha Ready Alonso (7.29.16)
• Press Release: Top Religious Leaders Support Bears Ears National Monument Proposal
• Top leaders of Christian denominations and organizations endorse Bears Ears National Monument
• Statement from Ty Markham, Chair of the Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance
• Statement from Bishop Scott Hayashi, Episcopal Diocese of Utah
• Statement from the Rev. Rebecca Kemper Poos, Moderator, Rocky Mountain Synod of the United Church of Christ
• Statement from the Rev. Jim Gonia, Bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

UTAH OPINION POLL
Creation Justice Ministries has been disappointed by Utah decision-makers' lack of support for the monument vision cast by the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. To investigate whether these Utah decision-makers' actions reflect the will of their constituents, Creation Justice Ministries commissioned a poll of Utah voters regarding support for proposed Bears Ears national monument. Public Opinion Strategies conducted the poll in May 2016 and found 71% of Utah voters support the proposed Bears Ears national monument, while only 20% oppose it.
​ 
Download the poll press release. 
See a summary of key findings from the poll.
See the poll's interview schedule.

TAKE ACTION
* Help raise public awareness. Make your Facebook profile show your support for Bears Ears National Monument
* Watch and share this interactive video to tour Bears Ears National Monument
* Post on social media at #StandWithBearsEars.

Voices of the Tribes

Tribal Leaders Extremely Disappointed over Trump's Decision to Revoke and Replace Bears Ears National Monument (12.4.17)
Navajo Nation Condemns Downsizing of Bears Ears National Monument (12.4.17)
Ute Indian Political Action Committee: Trump Executive Order Attacks Tribal and Local Support for Bears Ears (12.4.17)
Learn more about the monument from the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal coalition website.

---

Religious Community Support for Upholding the Bears Ears National Monument

IN THE NEWS

• Faith Leaders Strongly Disapprove of Trump Administration Decision to Downsize Utah National Monuments (12.5.17)
• Reform Jewish Movement Responds to Downsizing of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments (12.4.17)
• 120 people of faith and 189 spiritual leaders pledge to pray for the preservation of Native American heritage sites and landscapes, and urge President Trump to do the same. (11.30.17)
• Faith Leaders Take Spiritual Journey to Bears Ears National Monument (11.20.17)
• Opinion: Protecting Sacred Places from President Trump Arizona Daily Star By: Rev. Judy Wellington, Native American Ministries, Presbyterian Synod of the Southwest (6.4.17)
• Opinion: Bears Ears Has Special Meaning for Mormons, Too. Salt Lake Tribune  Salt Lake Tribune Joseph Bennion, Descendant of a Hole-in-the-Rock Pioneer (5.6.17)
• Opinion: Bears Ears is a Spiritual Treasure Zinke Should Honor Provo Daily Herald Jared Meek, President of Brigham Young University Earth Stewardship (5.3.17)
• Opinion: A Christian Call to Protect Bears Ears National Monument Deseret News Rev. Mitch Hescox, President of the Evangelical Environmental Network and Dr. George Handley, author and founding board member of LDS Earth Stewardship (3.8.17)
• Uphold Bears Ears National Monument. It's Our Moral Responsibility. Rev. Kendra Wilde, Pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and President Elect of the Montana Association of Christians (2.12.17)

SUPPORT LETTERS FOR BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT

• Letter from more than 800 people of faith from 48 states to President Trump on preserving National Monuments (12.1.17)
• 189 spiritual leaders from 42 states urge President Trump to protect Native American heritage landscapes and sacred sites (11.30.17)
• Heads of Communion Call on Zinke to Uphold Bears Ears (7.10.17)
• Religious Community Letter in Support of Bears Ears National Monument (5.25.17)
• Indigenous Christian Letter to Uphold Bears Ears National Monument (5.25.17)
• Letter from Franciscan Action Network (5.25.17)
• Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church (5.23.17)
• Grassroots LDS Support Letter for Bears Ears National Monument (3.2.17)
• Letter to Interior Secretary-Designate Zinke, Sen. McConnell, Sen. Schumer, Rep. Ryan, and Rep. Pelosi from the Chair of the Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance Ty Markham (2.10.17)
• Protect National Monuments 

---