Earlier this week, President Biden designated the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni — Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The sun was high in the sky when he signed the proclamation and permanently protected nearly 1 million acres of public land surrounding our iconic national park. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” for the Havasupai Tribe and I’tah Kukveni means “our footprints” for the Hopi Tribe.

The advocacy work was led by the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and the name of the monument reflects the long history that Indigenous people have played in stewarding these lands.

My decision to step away from guiding full-time in the Grand Canyon and play a larger role in protecting it has been a grand adventure. The transition from guiding 250 days a year to rowing a desk 40 hours a week for the National Wildlife Federation has been challenging yet equally rewarding. Joining the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and speaking at the White House felt pivotal for this life-changing decision and our collective efforts to permanently protect critical lands, water supplies, wildlife, and cultural and religious sites.

Two months ago, I joined my colleagues at the Arizona Wildlife Federation and other conservation groups in Washington, D.C to urge the Biden Administration to protect the lands, waters, wildlife, and cultural sites around the Grand Canyon that were threatened by uranium mining. We came on behalf of a much larger group of local elected officials, sporting groups, military veterans, recreationists, guides, conservationists, and local and national businesses. We each brought a unique perspective and had the opportunity to elaborate on why we felt strongly about permanent protections.

It was inspiring to sit in White House while observing other U.S. citizens walking the corridors advocating for various issues. I hope all Americans realize that this doesn’t happen in every country, and that participating in the legislative process is part of what makes a democracy.

Arizona’s 18th National Monument includes Marble Canyon, the Echo and Vermilion cliffs, and the Havasupai’s sacred “Wii’i Gdwiisa” (Red Butte) mountain. This is the place of emergence for the Havasupai, and for them, it is a lung of Grandmother Canyon.

More than 500 abandoned uranium mines are scattered across the region, impacting freshwater sources for local populations and seeping contaminated water into the Colorado River and other water bodies over great distances. The contaminated water has meant serious health problems for Indigenous communities and threatened wildlife, outdoor recreation, and the economies of nearby rural communities.’

As a Grand Canyon river guide, I feel incredibly privileged to run the Colorado River multiple times per year; but with privilege comes responsibility, and it is vital for all river guides to prioritize awareness of existing and future threats to watersheds.

In the birth of the modern environmental movement, the Sierra Club mobilized public opinion to stop dam construction in the Grand Canyon. Like those who wrote to the government then, the collective efforts of the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition made their voices heard. Your voice matters — use it.

Conservation is not a spectator sport. Let's celebrate the designation of this incredible national monument. It is indeed a huge achievement. But let’s not be complacent. We must continue to speak up on behalf of wildlife and public lands and waters in order to safeguard Indigenous communities, wildlife, critical habitat, clean water and expanded recreation opportunities here in Montana and around the country.