Chaco Canyon, Surrounding Landscape Sacred to Cultural, Spiritual, Environmental Heritage of Indigenous Communities

Santa Fe, N.M. - The decision to revisit the moratorium on oil and gas development around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park threatens the spiritual and cultural significance of the landscape and the indispensable, archaeological record included in the 10-mile buffer zone around the park.

"Chaco Canyon tells the powerful story of the culture, spirituality, and resilience of Indigenous communities throughout the Southwest. The current 10-mile buffer is critical to maintaining the ecological integrity of the larger Chaco landscape and contains thousands of Indigenous artifacts and sacred sites that could be destroyed by oil and gas drilling," said the Rev. Andrew Black, director of land and rivers for the Tribal partnerships team at the National Wildlife Federation. "The current moratorium was put in place after robust consultation and collaboration with Indigenous communities about how to best manage these sacred lands - and it should remain in place."

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chaco Canyon contains the most sweeping collection of Native American cultural sites in the United States and was a major ceremonial, economic, and cultural center for Ancestral Puebloans more than 1,000 years ago. Irreplaceable archaeological sites, like the remains of stone pithouses, great houses, kivas, and other artifacts, can be visited throughout the park. It remains an important part of Indigenous heritage, with many Pueblo, Hopi, and other Tribes descended from Ancestral Puebloans considering the area their sacred homeland.