From Co-Management to Land Back: (Re)Imaging Mesa Verde National Park

Abstract

Mesa Verde National Park, the first U.S. national park established to protect archaeological heritage, is situated on the unceded homelands of 27 Indigenous Tribes. Since its founding, its management has prioritized Western scientific research, preservation, and tourism at the expense of Indigenous sovereignty and cultural values. This project critically examines how Mesa Verde's settler colonial frameworks have historically excluded Indigenous voices and perpetuated cultural erasure. We explore the complex intersection of archaeological preservation, ecological conservation, tourism, and Tribal sovereignty, highlighting how current management strategies conflict with Indigenous beliefs around excavation and stewardship of sacred sites. While recent co-management efforts and inclusive programming exhibit progress, they are limited and symbolic. We argue for a transformation in park governance through the expansion of co-management into Indigenous-led stewardship, the establishment of a self-determined Indigenous governance council, and the advancement of the Land Back movement. These changes would prioritize Tribal consent in archaeological research, return artifacts and ancestral remains, and center Indigenous knowledge to conservation practices. Grounded in the Just Transition Principles, this project envisions a future where stewardship of Mesa Verde reflects justice, sovereignty, and healing—redefining what public land management can and should look like.