Factsheet for Bear Ears Monument

1 Bear Ears National Monument Questions & Answers 1,351,849 Total Acres Forest Service 289,000 acres BLM million acres AT A GLANCE Located in southeastern Utah Co-managed by the Forest Service and BLM What is a National Monument ? the most significant cultural landscapes in theUnited States, Bears Ears has abundant rock art, dwellings, ceremonial sites, granaries, and manyother cultural resources reflecting its historicaland cultural significance to a variety of NativeAmerican peoples. In the past 200 years, the area has been traversed by Mormon pioneers andsubsequently settled by ranchers, miners, andhomesteaders. Bears Ears provides a home to astunning variety of plant and animal life, includingendemic species that inhabit rare habitat typessuch as hanging gardens and tinajas. Do the Forest Service and BLM have The Antiquities Act of 1906 grants the President the authority to designate national monumentson federal land to protect objects of historicor scientific interest.

2 The Bears Ears National Monument is the 12th national Monument managed by the Forest Service; it is the fifth tobe managed jointly by the Forest Service andBLM. Monuments generally preserve currentuses of the land, including tribal access fortraditional plant and firewood gathering and forceremonial purposes, off-highway recreation on existing routes, grazing, hunting and fishing andwater and utility infrastructure. What types of areas and resourcesqualify for a national Monument ? The Antiquities Act was first exercised by Republican President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower in Wyoming. Sixteen presidents since 1906 have used theAct to protect some of America s most inspiring natural and historic features, including theGrand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty. In southeastern Utah, the mesas and canyonlandsof the Bears Ears landscape have been avital resource for thousands of years.

3 Among experience jointly managing nationalmonuments? The Forest Service and the BLM have shared management of the Santa Rosa and San JacintoMountains National Monument in Southern California since 2000, as well as the Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado and theBerryessa Snow Mountain National Monument innorthern California. Page 1 of 4 How will the two federal agenciesmanage the national monumenttogether? How will local input beincorporated? The Forest Service and BLM will jointly preparea national Monument management plan thatwill address the actions necessary to protectthe resources identified in the Monument . The plan will be developed with maximumpublic involvement, including tribal, local andState governments, permit holders, and otherstakeholders. To ensure management decisions reflect tribal expertise and traditional andhistorical knowledge, a Bears Ears Commissioncomprised of one elected officer from each of thefive tribes that formed the Inter-Tribal Coalition to support permanent protection of the BearsEars will be established.

4 In addition, the Forest Service and BLM will establish a Federal Advisory Committee to provide advice and informationregarding the development of the managementplan. National Monument management planstypically address many important priorities,including: Enhancing recreational opportunities Protecting important cultural resources Restoring fish and wildlife habitat How does this relate to the current revision of the land management planfor the Manti-La Sal? The current Manti-La Sal National Forest Plan was written in 1986. The revision process began in the summer of 2016 and is expected to becompleted in the summer of 2019. There are opportunities for public participation throughoutthe process. The national Monument overlaps with aportion of the Monticello Unit of the Manti-LaSal. The Monument proclamation calls for the Forest Service together with BLM to prepare amanagement plan for the management of themonument specifically, also with maximum public involvement.

5 The revision of the Manti-La Sal Forest Plan and the Monument plan will be doneconcurrently with integration, shared resources,operational efficiency and cooperation whereverappropriate. Does the national Monument affect existing rights-of-way, water or utility infrastructure or commercial activities? The national Monument designation does notalter or affect valid existing rights of any party and will not impact the operation, maintenance,replacements or modification of existing utilities,pipelines or telecommunications, as long as theyare consistent with the care and management ofthe objects identified in the national monumentproclamation. Will Tribes have access for ceremonial and other traditional uses? Yes. It also ensures that tribes will continue to be able to collect plants, firewood, and othertraditional materials within the Monument .

6 Page 2 of 4 Will hunting, fishing, and outfitting continue? Yes. Hunting, fishing and outfitting are popular and important activities for local communitiesand for recreation-oriented small businesses. The Forest Service and BLM will continue to apply the laws, regulations and policies currentlyused in issuing and administering permits onpublic lands in the national Monument , consistentwith the proper care and management of thenational Monument . The Monument does not change the State of Utah s jurisdiction as it relates to fish and wildlife management. Will grazing and timber management continue? Yes. Currently, livestock grazing occurs throughout most of the Monument area includingnine active Forest Service allotments. Existinglaws, regulations and policies followed bythe Forest Service and BLM in issuing andadministering grazing permitsor leases shall continue to apply to ensure ongoingconsistency with the Monument .

7 Likewise, timber management,including for purposesof restoration and forest health, will continue pursuant to existing laws,regulations and policies,consistent with the proper care andmanagement of the national Monument . How does the designationimpactoff-highwayvehicle use? The proclamation requires the Secretaries,through the Forest Service and BLM, to preparea transportation plan that designates the roadsand trails where motorized or non-motorized mechanized ( , mountain bikes) vehicle usewill be allowed. Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use may continue on roads and OHV trailsdesignated for their use consistent with careand management of the Monument new roads or trails designated for motorizedvehicle use would be for the purposes of publicsafety or protection of the Monument . In existingwilderness areas, motorized and mechanized transportation remain prohibited under theWilderness Act.

8 Page 3 of 4 Does the national Monument designation affect private propertyrights inside or outside of the nationalmonument? The national Monument designation will notimpact the rights of private landowners withinor adjacent to the national Monument , includingexisting access within the national monumentboundary. In addition to the approximately million acres of Federal lands, the Bears Ears National Monument boundary encompassesapproximately 109,100 acres of land ownedby the State of Utah and 12,600 acres ownedby private landowners. The non-Federal lands within the national Monument are not be part ofthe national Monument unless subsequently andvoluntarily acquired. Are there recreation opportunities inthis area? Bears Ears is a popular hunting, fishing, climbing,hiking and off-highway vehicle destination. Today, cyclists and motorists can follow the path of 19th-century Mormon pioneers along the rugged Holein the Rock Trail.

9 The Dark Canyon recreation area on the Manti-La Sal National Forest attracts hikers and backpackers and Elk Ridge and theAbajo Mountains draw hunters from across theworld. Does national Monument designationaffect the ability to suppress andmanage wildfires in the proposednational Monument area? The national Monument designation will notchange current tactics or impact the suppressionof wildfires. All future management will continue to focus first on public and firefighter safety whiletaking actions to protect valuable resources. Tools like prescribed fire may be used in the nationalmonument to address the risk of wildfire, insect infestation or disease that would imperil publicsafety or endanger the objects or resourcesprotected by the national Monument designation. All Photo Credits: Forest Service Page 4 of 4