Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Kanab, Utah
United States
Description of the Site
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was established in September 1996 and now spans nearly 1 million acres of land in Southern Utah. Its name alludes to the series of plateaus marked by vertical drops at cliffs that descend throughout the monument. These lands were the last part of the lower 48 states to get cartographed and remain an unspoiled, remote area. Additionally, the monument is extremely diverse geologically with amazing examples of plateaus, canyons, cliffs, monoliths, slot canyons, natural bridges, and arches. While the monument is a great opportunity to experience nature, it also provides a snapshot of several eras of time.
Many fossil excavations occur in this monument, specifically in the Kaiparowits Plateau. This plateau is 9,000 feet up and is full of fossils from the Late Cretaceous period, which is roughly from 95 million to 74 million years ago. Likewise, the evidence of human history of this monument spans back to approximately 2000 BCE and spans through to the historical use of ranching in southern Utah. This area is part of the ancestral homeland of the Southern Paiute People, who reside throughout northern Arizona and southern Utah. Among the archaeological evidence found throughout this monument there are remnants of early farmsteads, small pueblos, projectile points, residential pit structures, ancient petroglyphs, and much more.
The Threat
In 2018, the size of the monument was dramatically reduced from approximately 1.9 million acres to 1 million acres by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management. This has made previously protected land open to the threats of mining and drilling. As of February 2020, no oil or gas companies have moved forward with legal steps to begin the mining process in the area. However, it is still important to fight for the protection of this land since companies could take these legal steps at any time. Mining and drilling in this landscape could cause damage to historic and archaeological sites, sacred lands, and its ecosystem. The reduction of this site is also connected with the Bears Ears National Monument, making it the largest monument rollback in US history.
Efforts to Save Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Conservationists, scientists, activists, and members of organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, have fought to protect the lands of this monument through legal action and raising awareness of the monument’s size reduction. The Grand Staircase Escalante Partners is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of this monument. Their efforts include major restoration projects, educational programs, events, and much more.
Who Should Be Held Accountable
The Bureau of Land Management and State Officials
Photo Gallery
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