VIEW LARGER A map of the proposed boundaries of the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument. Congressman Raúl Grijalva has introduced legislation that is attempting to protect almost 400,000 acres of tribal land and establish a new national monument in Southwestern Arizona.
The proposed boundaries of the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument encompass a swath of land west of Phoenix and extend towards Yuma. It includes the Signal Mountain and Woolsey Peak wilderness areas, and the Saddle Mountains.
Tribes and conservation groups have been vocal about the need to protect the area from further development and mineral mining, and conservation of desert wildlife, for years.
Grijalva said the move is an important step in protecting cultural heritage and natural resources.
“I am proud to stand alongside the tribes and honor their years of dedication to preserving the cultural, historic, and natural heritage of this magnificent landscape by introducing this legislation,” he said in a statement.
If enacted, the bill would also establish a Tribal Commission, made up of indigenous representatives, to manage the protected area. It would also withdraw the land from any future mining projects.
At least 13 tribes have ties to the land surrounding the Gila River. Multiple tribes including the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe have expressed their support for the bill and the protection of ancestral lands.
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