Hundreds show support for proposed national monument near Grand Canyon
Thursday, July 20, 2023
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Supporters of the proposed national monument outside a public meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona. Photo: Kate Groetzinger, Center for Western Priorities.
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Over 500 people attended a public meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona this week to comment on the proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. The meeting, hosted by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, was held to hear from Tribes and communities about a proposal from the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition to protect approximately 1.1 million acres of land that is near the Grand Canyon but not part of the existing national park. Comments offered were overwhelmingly in support of the proposal. Supporters also demonstrated outside the meeting.
Congressmen Raúl Grijalva and Ruben Gallego, both of Arizona, have also introduced legislation to create a monument; a companion bill has been introduced by Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema. Legislation to protect this area has been introduced in every Congress since 2008, but has languished along with other popular conservation proposals in recent years. Tribal and community members encouraged President Biden to consider exercising his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate a national monument.
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 As guardians of the Grand Canyon, we have a duty to protect it.”
—Edmond Tilousi, Havasupai Tribe Vice Chairman, KPNX |
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Trail Showcase! The park has not one, but three separate groves of the ancient bristlecone pine. The easiest way to see these incredible trees is on the 2.8-mile round-trip grove hike at the base of Wheeler Peak. The trailhead begins at the parking lot at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, and after travelling through the mixed conifer forest just below 10,000 feet, you come upon the exposed glacial talus that these thousand-year-old trees call home. Twisting their branches toward the sky, the bristlecones survive in a strikingly harsh environment where few other organisms can survive. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can extend the trail another mile on to the rock glacier, remnant of the last ice age. The area feels both active and unchanging, providing serenity among these primordial pines.
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