Protecting Our Sacred Lands: Navajo Nation Affirms Commitment to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante WINDOW ROCK – For generations, Bears Ears has been a sacred and cultural home to many Indigenous peoples, including the Diné. This revered landscape, and the neighboring Grand Staircase-Escalante, embodies deep spiritual, cultural, and historical connections that continue to shape our way of life. In a letter dated March 26, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, alongside the Navajo Nation Historic Preservation Department, expressed the Nation’s ongoing commitment to these lands and respectfully called on the Trump Administration and the Department of the Interior to preserve the current monument boundaries. Over the years, the Navajo Nation, in partnership with other tribal nations and federal agencies, has invested significant time and resources into collaborative land management plans that integrate traditional ecological knowledge and scientific stewardship. These efforts are aligned with shared values of conservation, responsible governance, and long-term sustainability. “In light of the current administration’s stated priorities on efficiency and reducing waste, we believe that maintaining the integrity of established monument boundaries supports those goals,” said President Nygren. “Changing the boundaries and reopening finalized planning processes would not only risk the loss of valuable progress but may also lead to inefficiencies, duplicative expenditures, and delays in implementing conservation strategies.” President Nygren’s letter to Secretary Doug Burgum respectfully requests that no changes to monument designations be made without full and meaningful tribal consultation, as outlined in federal policy. The Navajo Nation emphasizes the importance of hearing from all tribal nations with ancestral ties to these lands. As the Trump Administration continues its work with Indian Country, President Nygren urges a continued commitment to honoring tribal voices, protecting sacred places, and upholding the government-to-government relationship that remains central to our shared future.