Polemics surrounding proposed planning for federal land in San Juan County all seem to hinge on the fate of Cedar Mesa wilderness. Fact, rumor and innuendo all favor protection for the fabulous Native American cultural sites on Cedar Mesa. An important barometer of public opinion, the Salt Lake Tribune, recently endorsed that wild hub of southeast Utah for Congressional wilderness designation.

This huge endorsement will not go unnoticed as Utah’s delegation of elected officials decides how to proceed with the “dialogue” that finally results in a Congressional bill. In reality the dialogue remains behind closed doors, a discussion between San Juan County officials and Utah senators. The “dialogue” has resulted in no public proposals and yet there is the suggestion that a bill might miraculously appear in the near future. To suggest all citizens are involved is nonsense.

A truly bad bill is one that uses wilderness on Cedar Mesa as a political hostage to release other wild areas in the county from future protection. If Cedar Mesa is to get the wilderness protection most people recognize it deserves, that wilderness proposal should come with no strings attached. The broad strokes of land use planning for an area the size and diversity of San Juan County should come only after major opportunity for public participation. Friends of Cedar Mesa await that larger process to unfold. 
—Mark Meloy

Meloy meets with Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. America's Great Outdoors listening session, August 3, 2010, Salt Lake City.

Friends of Cedar Mesa will be at the 2010 Pecos Conference in Silverton, Colorado, this weekend. Stop by Friday afternoon and check out our poster presentation, "A Web Portal for Cedar Mesa Archaeology." See the complete Pecos Conference schedule.

Erica Olsen brings Friends of Cedar Mesa to the Pecos Conference. Thank you to everyone who visited our poster presentation! Archaeologists, if you've given talks about archaeology in southeast Utah, we can post your PowerPoint presentations on our website. Contact us

What are some of your favorite books about the greater Cedar Mesa area (including Comb Ridge and any and all areas around Bluff and Blanding)? We'll post a list with your suggestions on the new Reading Cedar Mesa page of our website.

For information about the public lands discussion and planning process initiated by Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah), click here. We'll update our site regularly with information, documents, and statements from various individuals and groups. What do you think is the best way to manage Cedar Mesa and other San Juan County public lands?

Highlights of last Saturday's event, from Brooke Williams of SUWA, who was one of the panelists discussing future management of Cedar Mesa.

Join us for a celebration of Cedar Mesa this Saturday, June 12, at the Community Center in Bluff, Utah. The event begins at 1 pm with photos and discussion about archaeology and future management. Presentations by Vaughn Hadenfeldt, Bill Lipe, and a panel of experts. A potluck follows at 6 pm.