|
Put the Grand Staircase back in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument!
Photo provided by Jackie Grant, 2026.
| | |
Dear Supporter of Grand Staircase,
You have heard that President Trump downsized the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bear Ears National Monument on July 13, 2026. Although the latest Presidential Proclamation was expected, it was still devastating because of the sheer audacity it took to reduce the size of the Monuments by over 90% and declare that the public lands excluded from the Monument shall by open to (1) sale, (2) mineral and geothermal leasing, and (3) location, entry, and patent under U.S. mining laws.
The lands were always open to entry, but now they are "open to location," which has a specific meaning under the Mining Law of 1872: the land is legally available for U.S. citizens and businesses to explore, claim, and develop hard rock minerals. If a valuable mineral deposit is found, the land is open to patent, which means that a company can purchase the public land from the government and receive full private ownership for a nominal amount - sometimes as low as $2.50 to $5.00 per acre. This absolutely stinks and has the mark of Senator Mike Lee and his thirst for selling our American public lands all over it.
What can we do? First, we can take some comfort in knowing that Congress put a moratorium on the patent review process in 1994, which means that there are a few hurdles between the outright purchase of these special lands and a successful sale to private interests. Second, we can continue to protect and serve the lands even though they have lost their Monument protection: 1.69 million acres that are no longer part of the Monument. Our programs are still running even though many of them take place outside of the new boundaries. Third, as always, contact your legislators and let them know how you feel about the Monument and how this action impacts you.
Read on to learn more about our work to serve the land, the Monument's 30th anniversary, our native plant team, new PAWtners, and why the Monument is worth so much more than the mineral resources under its skin.
Thank you.
-Jackie
| | Your donations enable our stewardship, education, and restoration of the Monument and its connected landscapes and watersheds. | | |
GSEP Newsletter, Summer 2026
STEWARDSHIP AT WORK
Our stewardship team led their first multi-day trip of the year on Cottonwood Road on May 15! They had a small but mighty team that picked up 68 pounds of trash, removed 67 pounds of charcoal from 13 fire rings, and cleared 46 pounds of plants and debris from one of the monument’s only ADA-accessible trails at Grosvenor Arch picnic area. If you're interested in supporting work like this, we’d love for you to volunteer with us. Learn more about volunteer stewardship projects here.
| |
30 for the 30th
Despite the upcoming changes to the Monument's size and protections, 2026 is still the 30th anniversary of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. One way that we will celebrate the Monument on September 18, 2026 is through our 30 Miles for the Monument campaign. We need to step up and celebrate this anniversary because the BLM can't. The last time they celebrated was the 25th anniversary.
| | Several of our board members will run, walk, swim, bike, or whatever for 30 miles between now and September 18 to fundraise for GSEP and the Monument. Jump in or support them along the way! | | | |
WHAT IS A MONUMENT WORTH? Pt. 1
Much of the decisions around American public lands are being driven by "greed-maxxing" individuals who primarily see public lands as balance sheets and not service generators. However, public lands generate far more than dollars in value: they generate and maintain biodiversity and keep landscapes intact.
We can estimate how much biodiversity is worth by categorizing it then applying some basic math. The first categorical split is between "Use" and "Non-use" values (Figure 1). The most basic use value for biodiversity is the value we obtain by eating it! Consuming a fruit from the forest is an example of a direct, consumptive use. How much would you pay to eat a wild apple or make a basket from grass? Ecological economists ask people this type of question to estimate the value of consumptive uses. You may be surprised to learn that consumptive values are generally low because, even though they are the basics needed for life (food, fuel, shelter), they usually do not enter world trade markets.
In the fight for an intact Monument, it's going to be important to have a good understanding of the values associated with biodiversity and intact ecosystems. Stay tuned for another bite-sized lesson on the value of biodiversity in the next newsletter.
| | |
Figure 1. A useful flowchart to show us the many ways that biodiversity and intact ecosystems provide value above and beyond the basic dollar amount gained from extraction.
Flowchart by Jackie Grant, 2023.
| |
NATIVE PLANT NEWS
Despite the incredibly dry weather and multiple wildfires, our GSEP Seed Techs have been hard at work finding the best plant species to use to restore burned and disturbed landscapes. Along the way they encountered one of the cutest denizens of the Monument: the horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi).
It's been a surprisingly productive year, and the plants have been exceptionally productive on the 2024 Deer Springs Fire scar. Enjoy some photos of the team at work, and if you'd like to learn more about the Seeds of Success program first hand, please join our Seed Workshop in Kanab on September 6, 2026, or get added to the waitlist if it is full.
| |
PAWtners!
Welcome to new PAWtners: Moki, Iris, Josie Bassett, Patrick, and Roxanne! Your Monument companion can be a PAWtner too, for a $25 annual donation. In return, you will receive a special PAWtners sticker, your pet's photo in our gallery, and a digital toolkit about pet safety on the Monument put together by our very own executive director and dog friend, Jackie.
Becoming a PAWtner means your four-legged friend joins a community of animal lovers who care about Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Our program informs visitors about hazards specific to the region, explains pet etiquette expectations, and recognizes the pet that has made your trips to the Monument so special. Your donation helps support conservation, education, and stewardship efforts to ensure these lands and the adventures they inspire last for generations to come.
These lands are a great place to walk a dog regardless of what anyone might have to say about whether or not walking is allowed. Join us!
| | | | |
Thank you for your ongoing support.
We couldn't do it without you!
Jackie Grant (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
| | |
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners | gsenm.org
| |
| | | |
