Conference to deal with Southwest site stewardship

Conference to deal with Southwest site stewardship

July 24, 2001

By Janelle Holden
Journal Staff Writer

Keeping an eye on Southwest Colorado’s historic cultural sites has been the job of more than 90 volunteers since last November.

Cultural-site stewardship, a program developed by the San Juan Mountains Association in Durango last fall, will celebrate its success by kicking off an annual conference in August.

The conference will run from Aug. 2-5 at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango.

"The program has been wildly more successful than we ever dreamed," said Kathleen May, one of the conference’s organizers.

The stewardship program matches cultural sites with area residents who are willing to check up on them regularly and record any changes.

Amy Wise, the program coordinator, and land managers have identified 2,000 sites for stewards to monitor across the Southwest. Wise hopes the program will foster a sense of ownership of cultural and historical sites in local communities.

But based on the list of speakers, events, and workshops, the conference would appeal to anyone interested in the history of the Southwest.

On Thursday evening, Aug. 2, Enrique Salmon, professor of anthropology at Fort Lewis College, will speak on "A Sense of Place, A Sense of Stewardship."

The lecture will be followed by a reception, local-author book-signings, and a silent auction.

Friday and Saturday’s hands-on workshops includes speakers from Mesa Verde National Park, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, the Colorado Historical Society, Canyons of the Ancient National Monument, and many others.

"This is an exciting conference for our stewards and potential stewards," May said.

A Zuni flute concert and traditional social dance will be held Friday evening, and field trips to cultural sites are planned for Sunday.

In addition, Durango’s Abbey Theatre is presenting "In the Light of Reverence," an award-winning new film documenting Native American struggles to protect spiritual sites. It shows at 8:15 p.m. daily, July 30 through Aug. 7.

The Saturday, Aug. 4, show includes a special blessing by a Southern Ute elder.

For interested site stewards, Wise will be hosting additional stewardship training in September.

The San Juan Mountains Association was founded in 1988 and operates out of the San Juan Public Lands Center in Durango.

To register for the conference or for further information, contact Kathleen May or Amy Wise at the San Juan Mountains Association, 533-1495 or 385-1258.