On Monday, December 5th, President Trump declared his administration would shrink Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and Grand Staircase-Escalante to half of its current size. This is the “largest elimination of protected areas in American history”- totaling around 2 million acres. That’s two times the size of Rhode Island! Many people believe that national monuments prohibit use of land for activities like fishing, hunting, mining, and extraction of oil and gas, but they do in fact allow for these things. All of the previously mentioned activities are allowed in Bears Ears. By saying that “public lands will once again be for public use”, Trump further emphasizes this common misconception.
So how does this decision effect people? Due to this decision, there could be destruction of Native American archaeological sites, loss of wildlife habitat and economic harm to local businesses.
In response to this recent news, Patagonia, REI, and North Face have used their platforms to bring attention to what they stand for. As outdoor companies, they find national monuments to be an extremely important part of American life.
Click HERE for a very interesting article fact checking Trump’s speech
Sources:
Images: Twitter
https://www.grindtv.com/nature/everything-you-need-know-about-bears-ears-controversy/