Four organizations – Archaeology Southwest, the National Parks Conservation Association, Park Rangers for Our Lands, and Partnership for Responsible Business – are launching a campaign to protect the Greater Chaco Landscape in northern New Mexico.
The landscape includes Chaco Culture National Historical Park, as well as thousands of cultural resources on surrounding lands.
The resources provide a glimpse into the vibrant culture that inhabited the region centuries ago, and whose descendants live on today in nearby pueblos.
“Chaco Canyon embodies the soul of New Mexico and a key part of American history in the Southwest.” said Paul Reed, preservation archaeologist with Archaeology Southwest, “Chaco Canyon’s ongoing significance to nearby pueblos and tribes is one of the main reasons why it was designated a World Heritage Site.”
In addition to its rich cultural and natural resources, the Greater Chaco Landscape is also home to one of the country’s most productive oil and gas fields.
“As development encroaches on the Greater Chaco Landscape and its fragile cultural resources, the need to ensure that these resources are protected becomes strikingly evident,” said Ellis Richards of Park Rangers for Our Lands. “What we value about Chaco Culture National Historical Park, including its scenic vistas and night skies, are increasingly threatened by nearby oil and gas development. We need a balanced approach to protect the Greater Chaco Landscape and allow for responsible development.”
In the coming weeks and months, members of the coalition will be working to raise awareness for how balanced solutions can and will work to protect the important resources around Chaco Canyon. Archaeology Southwest will kick these efforts off this Saturday, Dec. 5, at the University of New Mexico’s Maxwell Museum, when it hosts a panel discussion with tribal leaders and archaeologists. More information can be found at the coalition’s website: protectgreaterchaco.org.
