Background Information About the Speakers
Ed Dobson is an attorney in Bluff and the President of the Friends of Cedar Mesa
Shelley Smith is the Manager of the Canyon Country District of the Utah Bureau of Land Management
Sally Cole is a well-known authority on the rock art of the Colorado Plateau and author of the book "Legacy on Stone."
Ann Phillips was a member of the original "Reverse Archaeology" team in the 1980s and is continuing to document and help preserve major rock art sites in southeast Utah
Laurie Webster is a specialist in Southwestern perishable material culture; she is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Arizona and a Research Associate at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Bob McPherson is a Professor of History at the Blanding branch of Utah State University and the author of numerous books and articles about aspects of southeastern Utah history and Native American culture.
Lamont Crabtree has been searching out and documenting the Hole-in-the-Rock trail over a 35-year period. He has worked on trail marking and interpretive projects, authored histories, and produced documentaries on the subject.
Don Rommes is a neonatal physician and the primary author (with Bill Lipe) of the forthcoming book of photographs "The Cliffdwellers of Cedar Mesa"
Winston Hurst is an independent archaeological consultant in Blanding who has directed many archaeological projects in San Juan County over the past 35 years.
Mark Maryboy is a former San Juan County Commissioner and Navajo Nation Councilman, and is an advocate for greater recognition of the Navajo cultural heritage in southeastern Utah
Vaughn Hadenfeldt is a renowned climber and guide, and the owner of Far Out Expeditions in Bluff
Bill Lipe is a Professor Emeritus at Washington State University who has done archaeological research in the Four Corners area since the late 1950s. From 1995 to 1997 he was President of the Society for American Archaeology
RG Matson is a Professor Emeritus at the U. of British Columbia, and has been co-director (with Lipe) of the Cedar Mesa Archaeological Project since the early 1970s
Jon Till is an archaeologist with many years of experience in Southwestern archaeology; he is employed by Abajo Archaeology of Bluff
Mark Meloy is the Executive Director of the Friends of Cedar Mesa and a former river ranger for the Bureau of Land Management
Ed Dobson is an attorney in Bluff and the President of the Friends of Cedar Mesa
Shelley Smith is the Manager of the Canyon Country District of the Utah Bureau of Land Management
Sally Cole is a well-known authority on the rock art of the Colorado Plateau and author of the book "Legacy on Stone."
Ann Phillips was a member of the original "Reverse Archaeology" team in the 1980s and is continuing to document and help preserve major rock art sites in southeast Utah
Laurie Webster is a specialist in Southwestern perishable material culture; she is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Arizona and a Research Associate at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Bob McPherson is a Professor of History at the Blanding branch of Utah State University and the author of numerous books and articles about aspects of southeastern Utah history and Native American culture.
Lamont Crabtree has been searching out and documenting the Hole-in-the-Rock trail over a 35-year period. He has worked on trail marking and interpretive projects, authored histories, and produced documentaries on the subject.
Don Rommes is a neonatal physician and the primary author (with Bill Lipe) of the forthcoming book of photographs "The Cliffdwellers of Cedar Mesa"
Winston Hurst is an independent archaeological consultant in Blanding who has directed many archaeological projects in San Juan County over the past 35 years.
Mark Maryboy is a former San Juan County Commissioner and Navajo Nation Councilman, and is an advocate for greater recognition of the Navajo cultural heritage in southeastern Utah
Vaughn Hadenfeldt is a renowned climber and guide, and the owner of Far Out Expeditions in Bluff
Bill Lipe is a Professor Emeritus at Washington State University who has done archaeological research in the Four Corners area since the late 1950s. From 1995 to 1997 he was President of the Society for American Archaeology
RG Matson is a Professor Emeritus at the U. of British Columbia, and has been co-director (with Lipe) of the Cedar Mesa Archaeological Project since the early 1970s
Jon Till is an archaeologist with many years of experience in Southwestern archaeology; he is employed by Abajo Archaeology of Bluff
Mark Meloy is the Executive Director of the Friends of Cedar Mesa and a former river ranger for the Bureau of Land Management
Celebrate Cedar Mesa! Join us as we celebrate the spectacular cultural and scenic resources of this special area of SE Utah, and our remarkable American system of public lands that ensures access to all. Cedar Mesa is most widely known for its Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings and rock art, set in a spectacularly beautiful environment. In addition to the Pueblos, it's part of the cultural heritage of Utes, Paiutes, Navajos, and Mormons. And increasingly, visitors from the region, nation, and world are making it part of their personal histories as well. This year's symposium provides new research findings and cultural perspectives that showcase the national treasure that is Cedar Mesa.
The Celebrate Cedar Mesa! symposium, sponsored by the Friends of Cedar Mesa, will take place all day Saturday, November 10, 2012 at the Blanding Arts and Events Center on the Utah State University branch campus in Blanding, Utah. Check <www.cedarmesafriends.org> for further information and updates.
The Celebrate Cedar Mesa! symposium, sponsored by the Friends of Cedar Mesa, will take place all day Saturday, November 10, 2012 at the Blanding Arts and Events Center on the Utah State University branch campus in Blanding, Utah. Check <www.cedarmesafriends.org> for further information and updates.
Celebrate Cedar Mesa
took place on June 12, 2010, at the Community Center in Bluff, Utah. We would like to thank all of the participants. Vaughn Hadenfeldt of Far Out Expeditions shared stories and slides. Dr. William D. (Bill) Lipe, archaeologist and Professor Emeritus, Washington State University, presented an overview of archaeological research on Cedar Mesa (at right—for best viewing, choose "Fullscreen"). We thank the panelists who discussed future management of the area: Veronica (Ronni) Egan, Executive Director, Great Old Broads for Wilderness; Winston Hurst, archaeologist, Blanding, Utah; Bill Lipe, archaeologist and Professor Emeritus, Washington State University; Mark Maryboy, retired San Juan County Commissioner; Brian Quigley, Assistant Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Monticello Field Office; Brooke Williams, Field Advocate, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance; and Ted Wilson, Senior Advisor on Environmental Matters to Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert. Jean Nielson moderated the panel. Special thanks to Scott Edwards and Laura Lantz, BLM rangers, for their input and their many years of service on Cedar Mesa. JR Lancaster of Cloudwatcher Gallery in Bluff hosted the reception. Finally, our thanks go to the audience members who turned out to demonstrate their support and interest in issues concerning Cedar Mesa.
See photos from the event.
Read Brooke Williams's summary of the event.
See photos from the event.
Read Brooke Williams's summary of the event.
Celebrate Cedar Mesa
took place on June 12, 2010, at the Community Center in Bluff, Utah. We would like to thank all of the participants. Vaughn Hadenfeldt of Far Out Expeditions shared stories and slides. Dr. William D. (Bill) Lipe, archaeologist and Professor Emeritus, Washington State University, presented an overview of archaeological research on Cedar Mesa (at right—for best viewing, choose "Fullscreen"). We thank the panelists who discussed future management of the area: Veronica (Ronni) Egan, Executive Director, Great Old Broads for Wilderness; Winston Hurst, archaeologist, Blanding, Utah; Bill Lipe, archaeologist and Professor Emeritus, Washington State University; Mark Maryboy, retired San Juan County Commissioner; Brian Quigley, Assistant Field Office Manager, Bureau of Land Management, Monticello Field Office; Brooke Williams, Field Advocate, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance; and Ted Wilson, Senior Advisor on Environmental Matters to Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert. Jean Nielson moderated the panel. Special thanks to Scott Edwards and Laura Lantz, BLM rangers, for their input and their many years of service on Cedar Mesa. JR Lancaster of Cloudwatcher Gallery in Bluff hosted the reception. Finally, our thanks go to the audience members who turned out to demonstrate their support and interest in issues concerning Cedar Mesa.
See photos from the event.
Read Brooke Williams's summary of the event.
See photos from the event.
Read Brooke Williams's summary of the event.
Report on Sen. Bennett's Public Lands Initiative for San Juan County
by Bill Lipe (Washington State University and Crow Canyon Archaeological Center)
Documents and presentations referred to in boldface are embedded at right. For best viewing, choose "Fullscreen" mode.
In March of this year, Senator Robert Bennett of Utah initiated a public discussion and planning process intended to result in legislation that would resolve contentious issues of public land use (such as wilderness designations) in San Juan County, Utah. In a March 3 letter to potentially interested groups, Bennett invited proposals for public land designations and priorities. He referenced the recent success of such a process in Washington County, Utah, which after several years had resulted in passage of the Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2009. Bennett's invitation for individuals and groups to take part in a planning process for San Juan County was also distributed as a press release to state and regional media.
In his March 3 letter, Bennett noted that he was acting at the request of the San Juan County Commission, the members of which hoped that the success of the Washington County process could be replicated in their county.
Individuals and groups who responded in writing [see my March 24 letter] to Bennett's invitation subsequently received a letter dated April 5 that laid out the next steps in the planning process and proposed a series of public meetings. Accompanying the letter was a map that subdivided the county into several regions, and a schedule of meetings at the San Juan County courthouse in Monticello where each region would be discussed in turn. Senator Bennett designated staff member Brad Shafer of his Salt Lake City office as the person who would organize and run these meetings.
In his April 5 letter, Senator Bennett acknowledged the letters he had received in response to his March 3 invitation, and stated:
"The information you, and many others, have provided, has identified ecological, cultural, social, and economic values to be considered for preservation under various land use designations. In order to achieve the right balance in a public lands bill, I must also understand any potential conflicts of interest that my arise in making land use designations. To deepen my understanding of these issues, and to ensure that we have a full understanding of the issues you have raised, I have asked my staff to hold a series of discussions with those who submitted priorities to my office."
The Greater Cedar Mesa area was designated as Region 2 in this process, and discussions about this region were scheduled for April 22, to be continued the morning of April 23, if necessary. A number of organizations made presentations at this meeting. My April 22 presentation was endorsed by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center of Cortez, Colorado, on whose board of directors I serve.
I also attended the meeting where Region 6 was discussed and I made a presentation on May 26, again with the endorsement of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. This region is in eastern San Juan County, and includes Montezuma Canyon and Alkali Ridge, as well as other areas with very high densities of archaeological sites. I include it here because it has some general information about the archaeology of San Juan County that is relevant to our concerns about future land use in the Greater Cedar Mesa area.
My two presentations attempted to present basic information about the archaeological resources of these two regions, and about the importance of developing policies and designations that would protect them so they can continue to benefit a variety of publics now and in the future.
Senator Bennett had planned to stand for re-election this fall, but he did not get enough votes at the Utah State Republican Convention this spring to gain a spot on the ballot. His staff has indicated that he is still planning to have the San Juan County bill drafted and introduced in Congress this year. There also are some indications that he would be willing to ask a colleague on the Utah delegation to continue to continue this process if a bill does not pass this session of Congress.
I hope all of us who care for the cultural, scenic, and ecological values of the Cedar Mesa region can stay informed about the development of this legislation by Senator Bennett's office, and can share information about it through the Friends of Cedar Mesa website blog.
Documents and presentations referred to in boldface are embedded at right. For best viewing, choose "Fullscreen" mode.
In March of this year, Senator Robert Bennett of Utah initiated a public discussion and planning process intended to result in legislation that would resolve contentious issues of public land use (such as wilderness designations) in San Juan County, Utah. In a March 3 letter to potentially interested groups, Bennett invited proposals for public land designations and priorities. He referenced the recent success of such a process in Washington County, Utah, which after several years had resulted in passage of the Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2009. Bennett's invitation for individuals and groups to take part in a planning process for San Juan County was also distributed as a press release to state and regional media.
In his March 3 letter, Bennett noted that he was acting at the request of the San Juan County Commission, the members of which hoped that the success of the Washington County process could be replicated in their county.
Individuals and groups who responded in writing [see my March 24 letter] to Bennett's invitation subsequently received a letter dated April 5 that laid out the next steps in the planning process and proposed a series of public meetings. Accompanying the letter was a map that subdivided the county into several regions, and a schedule of meetings at the San Juan County courthouse in Monticello where each region would be discussed in turn. Senator Bennett designated staff member Brad Shafer of his Salt Lake City office as the person who would organize and run these meetings.
In his April 5 letter, Senator Bennett acknowledged the letters he had received in response to his March 3 invitation, and stated:
"The information you, and many others, have provided, has identified ecological, cultural, social, and economic values to be considered for preservation under various land use designations. In order to achieve the right balance in a public lands bill, I must also understand any potential conflicts of interest that my arise in making land use designations. To deepen my understanding of these issues, and to ensure that we have a full understanding of the issues you have raised, I have asked my staff to hold a series of discussions with those who submitted priorities to my office."
The Greater Cedar Mesa area was designated as Region 2 in this process, and discussions about this region were scheduled for April 22, to be continued the morning of April 23, if necessary. A number of organizations made presentations at this meeting. My April 22 presentation was endorsed by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center of Cortez, Colorado, on whose board of directors I serve.
I also attended the meeting where Region 6 was discussed and I made a presentation on May 26, again with the endorsement of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. This region is in eastern San Juan County, and includes Montezuma Canyon and Alkali Ridge, as well as other areas with very high densities of archaeological sites. I include it here because it has some general information about the archaeology of San Juan County that is relevant to our concerns about future land use in the Greater Cedar Mesa area.
My two presentations attempted to present basic information about the archaeological resources of these two regions, and about the importance of developing policies and designations that would protect them so they can continue to benefit a variety of publics now and in the future.
Senator Bennett had planned to stand for re-election this fall, but he did not get enough votes at the Utah State Republican Convention this spring to gain a spot on the ballot. His staff has indicated that he is still planning to have the San Juan County bill drafted and introduced in Congress this year. There also are some indications that he would be willing to ask a colleague on the Utah delegation to continue to continue this process if a bill does not pass this session of Congress.
I hope all of us who care for the cultural, scenic, and ecological values of the Cedar Mesa region can stay informed about the development of this legislation by Senator Bennett's office, and can share information about it through the Friends of Cedar Mesa website blog.
Speak Out on San Juan County Wilderness
by Liz Thomas, Field Attorney, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
Over the past two months, we’ve participated in a series of meetings with San Juan County commissioners and representatives of Senator Bob Bennett to discuss the merits of wilderness designations within the San Juan-Canyonlands landscape.
Throughout Senator Bennett’s process, questions have arisen about the Senator’s intent. Senate and county representatives frequently weren’t taking notes on conservationists’ presentations and county commissioners sometimes weren’t even in attendance as the process moved along. This raises questions about whether these meetings were perfunctory “window dressing” or a real effort to identify the specific issues related to federal lands in San Juan County.
Now the future of these discussions, and any potential wilderness legislation, is unclear. Read more.
Over the past two months, we’ve participated in a series of meetings with San Juan County commissioners and representatives of Senator Bob Bennett to discuss the merits of wilderness designations within the San Juan-Canyonlands landscape.
Throughout Senator Bennett’s process, questions have arisen about the Senator’s intent. Senate and county representatives frequently weren’t taking notes on conservationists’ presentations and county commissioners sometimes weren’t even in attendance as the process moved along. This raises questions about whether these meetings were perfunctory “window dressing” or a real effort to identify the specific issues related to federal lands in San Juan County.
Now the future of these discussions, and any potential wilderness legislation, is unclear. Read more.
Economic Reasons to Defend the Escalante Grand Staircase Monument
Report on Sen. Bennett's Public Lands Initiative for San Juan County
by Bill Lipe (Washington State University and Crow Canyon Archaeological Center)
Documents and presentations referred to in boldface are embedded at right. For best viewing, choose "Fullscreen" mode.
In March of 2010, Senator Robert Bennett of Utah initiated a public discussion and planning process intended to result in legislation that would resolve contentious issues of public land use (such as wilderness designations) in San Juan County, Utah. In a March 3 letter to potentially interested groups, Bennett invited proposals for public land designations and priorities. He referenced the recent success of such a process in Washington County, Utah, which after several years had resulted in passage of the Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2009. Bennett's invitation for individuals and groups to take part in a planning process for San Juan County was also distributed as a press release to state and regional media.
In his March 3 letter, Bennett noted that he was acting at the request of the San Juan County Commission, the members of which hoped that the success of the Washington County process could be replicated in their county.
Individuals and groups who responded in writing [see my March 24 letter] to Bennett's invitation subsequently received a letter dated April 5 that laid out the next steps in the planning process and proposed a series of public meetings. Accompanying the letter was a map that subdivided the county into several regions, and a schedule of meetings at the San Juan County courthouse in Monticello where each region would be discussed in turn. Senator Bennett designated staff member Brad Shafer of his Salt Lake City office as the person who would organize and run these meetings.
In his April 5 letter, Senator Bennett acknowledged the letters he had received in response to his March 3 invitation, and stated:
"The information you, and many others, have provided, has identified ecological, cultural, social, and economic values to be considered for preservation under various land use designations. In order to achieve the right balance in a public lands bill, I must also understand any potential conflicts of interest that my arise in making land use designations. To deepen my understanding of these issues, and to ensure that we have a full understanding of the issues you have raised, I have asked my staff to hold a series of discussions with those who submitted priorities to my office."
The Greater Cedar Mesa area was designated as Region 2 in this process, and discussions about this region were scheduled for April 22, to be continued the morning of April 23, if necessary. A number of organizations made presentations at this meeting. My April 22 presentation was endorsed by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center of Cortez, Colorado, on whose board of directors I serve.
I also attended the meeting where Region 6 was discussed and I made a presentation on May 26, again with the endorsement of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. This region is in eastern San Juan County, and includes Montezuma Canyon and Alkali Ridge, as well as other areas with very high densities of archaeological sites. I include it here because it has some general information about the archaeology of San Juan County that is relevant to our concerns about future land use in the Greater Cedar Mesa area.
My two presentations attempted to present basic information about the archaeological resources of these two regions, and about the importance of developing policies and designations that would protect them so they can continue to benefit a variety of publics now and in the future.
Senator Bennett had planned to stand for re-election this fall, but he did not get enough votes at the Utah State Republican Convention this spring to gain a spot on the ballot. His staff has indicated that he is still planning to have the San Juan County bill drafted and introduced in Congress this year. There also are some indications that he would be willing to ask a colleague on the Utah delegation to continue to continue this process if a bill does not pass this session of Congress.
I hope all of us who care for the cultural, scenic, and ecological values of the Cedar Mesa region can stay informed about the development of this legislation by Senator Bennett's office, and can share information about it through the Friends of Cedar Mesa website blog.
Documents and presentations referred to in boldface are embedded at right. For best viewing, choose "Fullscreen" mode.
In March of 2010, Senator Robert Bennett of Utah initiated a public discussion and planning process intended to result in legislation that would resolve contentious issues of public land use (such as wilderness designations) in San Juan County, Utah. In a March 3 letter to potentially interested groups, Bennett invited proposals for public land designations and priorities. He referenced the recent success of such a process in Washington County, Utah, which after several years had resulted in passage of the Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2009. Bennett's invitation for individuals and groups to take part in a planning process for San Juan County was also distributed as a press release to state and regional media.
In his March 3 letter, Bennett noted that he was acting at the request of the San Juan County Commission, the members of which hoped that the success of the Washington County process could be replicated in their county.
Individuals and groups who responded in writing [see my March 24 letter] to Bennett's invitation subsequently received a letter dated April 5 that laid out the next steps in the planning process and proposed a series of public meetings. Accompanying the letter was a map that subdivided the county into several regions, and a schedule of meetings at the San Juan County courthouse in Monticello where each region would be discussed in turn. Senator Bennett designated staff member Brad Shafer of his Salt Lake City office as the person who would organize and run these meetings.
In his April 5 letter, Senator Bennett acknowledged the letters he had received in response to his March 3 invitation, and stated:
"The information you, and many others, have provided, has identified ecological, cultural, social, and economic values to be considered for preservation under various land use designations. In order to achieve the right balance in a public lands bill, I must also understand any potential conflicts of interest that my arise in making land use designations. To deepen my understanding of these issues, and to ensure that we have a full understanding of the issues you have raised, I have asked my staff to hold a series of discussions with those who submitted priorities to my office."
The Greater Cedar Mesa area was designated as Region 2 in this process, and discussions about this region were scheduled for April 22, to be continued the morning of April 23, if necessary. A number of organizations made presentations at this meeting. My April 22 presentation was endorsed by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center of Cortez, Colorado, on whose board of directors I serve.
I also attended the meeting where Region 6 was discussed and I made a presentation on May 26, again with the endorsement of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. This region is in eastern San Juan County, and includes Montezuma Canyon and Alkali Ridge, as well as other areas with very high densities of archaeological sites. I include it here because it has some general information about the archaeology of San Juan County that is relevant to our concerns about future land use in the Greater Cedar Mesa area.
My two presentations attempted to present basic information about the archaeological resources of these two regions, and about the importance of developing policies and designations that would protect them so they can continue to benefit a variety of publics now and in the future.
Senator Bennett had planned to stand for re-election this fall, but he did not get enough votes at the Utah State Republican Convention this spring to gain a spot on the ballot. His staff has indicated that he is still planning to have the San Juan County bill drafted and introduced in Congress this year. There also are some indications that he would be willing to ask a colleague on the Utah delegation to continue to continue this process if a bill does not pass this session of Congress.
I hope all of us who care for the cultural, scenic, and ecological values of the Cedar Mesa region can stay informed about the development of this legislation by Senator Bennett's office, and can share information about it through the Friends of Cedar Mesa website blog.
Other organizations that have participated in the San Juan County public lands initiative include:
Great Old Broads for Wilderness
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The Nature Conservancy
San Juan County Commissioners, Utah
The Wilderness Society
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
Grand Canyon Trust
Great Old Broads for Wilderness
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The Nature Conservancy
San Juan County Commissioners, Utah
The Wilderness Society
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
Grand Canyon Trust
