Tribal Natural Resources News

Native American tribes around the West are making critical decisions regarding the management of their resources — land, water, fossil fuels and renewable resources. The Tribal Natural Resources Desk aims to produce objective reporting to tell stories of tribes empowering themselves through stewardship and decision-making around their resources.
Learning lessons from one Hopi dry farmer on his last day in the cornfield
Gary Tso reflects on three decades of Hopi dry farming his mother's corn and the spiritual lessons that come with living his faith on a single-acre field at the bottom of Second Mesa.
Hand-roasting Pima 60-Day Corn is hard and expensive, but essential to preserve heirloom products
Havasupai Tribe Says No To Tourism Until At Least 2022
The Havasupai Tribal Council has made the decision to continue keeping tourists from visiting the tribe’s picturesque land, located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
$100K Raised For Quitobaquito Springs Restoration Project
The National Park Service is getting money from an Ajo community organization for a restoration project at Quitobaquito Springs — the ancient desert water source and Indigenous site along the border at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
Word S5:E8 — Indigenous Detective Lit, YA Fiction
What are you reading this summer? We have some suggestions by Arizona writers for adults and youth or those who don’t want to adult for a minute and feel their youth again. Hear their stories on this Season 5 ender of “Word,” a KJZZ podcast about the literary arts in Arizona and the region, hosted by Tom Maxedon.
What you need to know about the Oak Flat copper mine
Resolution Copper wants to build a copper mine in that part of the Tonto National Forest that would become one of the largest in the country. They say it would provide more than 1,000 jobs to a part of the state that needs them, but conservationists and American Indian tribes say it will irreparably harm the environment there.
Word S5:E7 — Indigenous Futurisms And Climate Fiction
What do indigenous futurism, young adult fantasy literature and climate have in common? Find out on "Word" — a KJZZ podcast about the literary arts in Arizona and the region hosted by Tom Maxedon.
Navajo Nation Wins At 9th Circuit In Water Rights Case
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has sent a nearly 20-year-old water rights lawsuit by the Navajo Nation back to a federal courtroom in Arizona, where the case has been thrown out twice before.
Chaco Canyons Fractured Landscape Holds Clues To Bidens Environmental Policy
The Chaco Canyon area of New Mexico might provide insights on what the Biden administration's environmental policy will look like. About 90% of the Chaco Canyon region has been leased out for oil and gas drilling over the years, and people who live in this corner of northwest New Mexico have started to push back.
Biden's 100-Day Plan: The Impact On Arizona
Colorado River Tribes Aim To Establish
Tribes reliant on the river’s flows for agricultural, municipal and industrial use are gearing up for years of negotiation over future policies. Climate change is projected to lessen flows in the Colorado River.
Navajo Nation OKs Solar Projects For Local Communities
The Navajo Nation has approved a couple of solar projects that will provide electricity to tribal communities.
Washington Post: Native Americans Fighting To Save Sanctity Of Oak Flat
Oak Flat in Pinal County has become the centerpiece of the battles between Native American tribes to preserve their sacred land and mining companies that want to generate revenue and create jobs. Washington Post Reporter Dana Hedgpeth recently wrote about Oak Flat.
U.S. House Committee Hears Testimony On Save Oak Flat Bill
The U.S. House Committee for Indigenous people held hearings Tuesday on Congressman Raul Grijalva’s bill to permanently protect Oak Flat from a proposed copper mine.
Firefighters Battling G22 Fire Brace For Gusty Winds
Firefighters are bracing for gusty winds Wednesday as they continue containment efforts on the G22 fire burning about ten miles northwest of Cibeque on White Mountain Apache tribal lands.
How Havasupai Tribe Has Kept COVID-19 Out Of Their Community
More than a year into the pandemic, it’s hard to find anywhere that has escaped the coronavirus. But one Arizona community near the Grand Canyon has been able to utilize its isolated location as a defense. That has meant sacrificing the tourism business the community relies on.
Get The Latest News On COVID-19 In Arizona
Comcaac Nation Demands Water With Historic Gathering
In neighboring Sonora, Mexico, members of the Indigenous Comcaac Nation, often called the Seris, have long struggled for access to clean water in their two towns on the Sea of Cortez. Last Saturday, they walked miles to a sacred site for their people to demand the Mexican government provide them with potable water and other basic services.
More News From The Fronteras Desk
Nez: How Navajo Nation Is Handling Renewed Concerns Over COVID-19
The Navajo Nation was one of the hottest spots for transmission of COVID-19 in the world. So it was good news last week when the Nation had its first day in more than six months without a new reported COVID-19 case. But this week there have been renewed concerns as the Nation saw its first confirmed case of the U.K. variant of the virus.
Interior Department Gets Input On Oil And Gas Policy
The Department of Interior received input on its oil and gas policy last week in a virtual meeting where it heard from a variety of sources. One participant recalled that in 2016, an exploding oil well in New Mexico forced about 50 residents in the Chaco Canyon area to evacuate.
Author Discusses MacArthur Genius Grant, New Book On Oak Flat
Receiving a MacArthur Foundation Genius grant immediately puts the recipient on a new creative track, with opportunities to expand upon previous ideas or utilize the support to innovate. Lauren Redniss was given her grant in 2016 and has gone on to write several books — including her most recent one, "Oak Flat: A Fight for Sacred Land in the American West."
Navajo Nation Reports No New COVID-19 Cases, Deaths
The Navajo Nation has managed a dramatic turnaround after a widespread COVID-19 outbreak on the reservation this winter. On Tuesday, the tribe reported zero new cases and no deaths.
The Navajo Nation Took A Hard Stance Against COVID-19 — And The Experts Say It Worked
COVID-19 has wrought unfathomable devastation on the Navajo Nation. The reservation has seen one of the highest rates of death from the virus in the world. But a year into the pandemic, the Navajo Nation has managed a dramatic turnaround in its outbreak and is now outpacing Arizona in administering vaccines.
Resolution Copper Mine Still On The Table After Forest Service Decision
The Forest Service has rolled back a decision that would have cleared the way for one of the largest copper mines in the U.S., but the project is still on the table.

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