Tohono O’odham Nation and BLM Unite for Sacred Land Co-Stewardship

The Tohono O’odham Nation has officially entered a co-stewardship agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) aimed at preserving lands of significant cultural and religious importance to the tribe.

Chairman Verlon Jose highlighted the milestone, stating, “This agreement will ensure that the Nation has a voice and an active role in protecting these ancestral lands that are so important to our people.”

Home to about 28,000 members, the Tohono O’odham Nation occupies the second-largest reservation in Arizona, stretching from southwestern Tucson to the U.S.-Mexico border.

This co-stewardship applies to the Baboquivari and Coyote Mountains, including the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness and the Coyote Mountains Wilderness. It facilitates collaborative conservation and management efforts between the tribe and the BLM.

BLM Tucson Field Manager Colleen Dingman remarked that the tribe has sought this agreement for many years, and the BLM finally accommodated their request last fall. The formal signing took place at a ceremony on December 23 at the Tohono O’odham Nation Cultural Center and Museum.

Dingman expressed optimism about the agreement, emphasizing its potential to deepen the BLM’s understanding and protection of the area while incorporating the tribe’s traditional knowledge.

This partnership aligns with a 2021 Joint Secretarial Order aimed at enhancing tribal involvement in federal land management, ensuring the protection of tribal religious and cultural interests.

Regular meetings are planned, with Dingman noting the importance of discussing priorities and ensuring access to sacred sites and culturally significant locations for tribal members.

The Tohono O’odham consider the Baboquivari Mountain Range and Baboquivari Peak as sacred ground, believed to be the dwelling place of I’itoi, the tribe’s creator.

In reflecting on the significance of the agreement, Jose stated, “It has been the work of many years to achieve this agreement, which will benefit tribal members and the public for generations to come.”

Historically, when the tribe’s main reservation was established in 1917, only a portion of Baboquivari Peak and the surrounding mountains fell within its boundaries.

The areas involved include 2,040 acres of wilderness on the eastern side of Baboquivari Peak and 5,080 acres in the adjoining Coyote Mountains. Additionally, the BLM oversees another 2,247 acres in the Baboquivari Mountains that are not designated as wilderness.

The co-stewardship agreement does not have an expiration date; however, it will be reviewed every ten years to assess its effectiveness and make any necessary adjustments.