BLM Colorado hosts biannual Ute Tribal Consultation meeting at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument

Last month, BLM Colorado hosted their biannual Ute Tribal Consultation meeting at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM). Meetings lasted three days as district and field offices presented to tribal representatives. Present were the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPO) for the three Ute tribes: Betsey Chapoose for the Ute Indian tribe (Uintah and Ourey reservation), Cassandra Atencio for the Southern Ute tribe, and Jacinthe Messier on behalf of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe.  

District and field office staff shared projects and initiatives that were of Ute tribal interest either because of a project’s proximity to cultural sites or the effect a project could have on culturally significant environmental factors like plants and waterways. The THPOs requested site visits for upcoming projects if an area had not recently been surveyed for traditional cultural places (TCP). Southern Ute THPO Cassandra Atencio made it a point to explain that as a seasonally migratory tribe the nature of cultural sites could shift. Therefore, updating TCP surveys is important as special sites might only be visible or accessible during a specific season.  

Updates were also given on any vandalism incidents that may have occurred on BLM lands on or near sites like rock imagery panels and wickiup camps. The THPOs discussed how incidents like these could be avoided by making wider boundaries around sites and redirecting traffic on trails. One message that they want to see more of is “recreate respectfully” and “visit with respect.” State Director Doug Vilsack joined to listen and provide updates for more general co-stewardship projects happening in Colorado such as the Ute Trails Project and the ongoing efforts to allow Ute Mountain Ute tribe to gather horses from CANM lands. 

One day was set aside for Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) cases that are currently being addressed at CANM and in the surrounding region. This day brought together the BLM Colorado State Archeologist and CANM museum and curation specialists to discuss next steps for funerary objects and ancestors with the three Ute THPOs.  

“BLM Colorado has been having our Ute Biannual consultation and coordination meetings for 10 years now. Sometimes we have hard discussions and that's ok, that's needed for partnerships to work. In the end, we walk away with new knowledge and feedback that can be woven into a proposed project or into how we manage BLM lands in general. I am so proud of the work we are doing to build better relationships with our Tribal partners here in Colorado,” said Erin Leifeld, BLM Colorado Tribal Liaison. 

The dates of the next Ute Tribal Consultation meeting will likely be in April 2025. 

Pualani Tupper is an Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps intern placed at the Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office. As a Kanaka Maoli woman, she aims to educate public land users through indigenizing communications at the BLM.