Get the facts on Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

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Scientific

Even today, this unspoiled natural area remains a frontier, a quality that greatly enhances Grand Staircase’s value for scientific study and presents exemplary opportunities for geologists, paleontologists, archaeologists, historians, and biologists.

Historic

These nearly 2 million acres were designated a national monument on Sept. 18, 1996, by President Bill Clinton. Grand Staircase is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and in 2000, became the first unit of BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System.

Our Job

Grand Staircase Escalante Partners is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization and is the official “friends” organization for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

 Promote science, education, and conservation on the Monument

Expand our membership so we represent a constituency that supports the Monument

Increase public awareness and understanding of the Monument

Provide resources to support the Monument’s scientific, interpretive and educational programs

Recruit volunteers. Get involved!

The Monument

Grand Staircase Escalante Partners recognizes the Monument as a 1.9 million acre scientific laboratory that offers unparalleled research opportunities as well as uniquely rewarding visitor experiences.

From glamorous dinosaur finds to the equally as important discoveries of site-specific plant species, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument holds a wealth of yet to be analyzed scientific and cultural data.

In an era of diminishing government funding for pure science, the financial role of Grand Staircase Escalante Partners is crucial in supporting both the research itself and the efforts to educate both students and the public about the vital role this unspoiled landscape plays in helping us understand a world that grows more complex every day.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

Grand Staircase Escalante Partners (GSEP) is committed to cultivating and providing equal opportunity and a work environment free from discrimination. GSEP welcomes and strives to unite people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, socio-economic situations, class, religions, abilities and ages and empowers them as individuals and as a team. GSEP values and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in our board, staff, members, and supporters and in the communities we serve. GSEP seeks to continually expand the voices and contributions that advance our efforts to protect the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

GSEP believes that:

  • There are historically underserved and underrepresented populations in our country and in our communities and we need to actively identify and eliminate barriers to ensure their full participation in public lands
  • Everyone connects and engages with nature in a way that reflects their culture, experiences and personal preferences
  • Everyone should have access to public lands and inclusive experiences within them
  • The future of preserving and protecting the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is tethered to connecting the diverse youth of today to the outdoors
  • Exposure and connection to the outdoors resulting from access to public lands have important physical and mental health benefits for individuals and communities.
  • A more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization improves the bottom line, attracts more talent, increases retention and fosters innovation
  • Diversity yields more creative, collaborative, synergistic and effective outcomes
  • Engaging in diversity, equity and inclusivity work is necessary for the health and growth of GSEP as leaders in our communities
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential in our mission to protect and preserve the vast landscapes of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument for present and future generations. Our vision is to reflect the diversity of backgrounds in our communities and the broader diversity of our nation. As we approach the work of consciously cultivating the diversity of our organization, we commit to intentionally incorporate equity, inclusion, and diversity into our priorities, program strategies, workforce, structure, budget, business practices, communications, and workplace culture. Through these efforts, GSEP envisions our organization becoming more comprehensive and effective in its work to the benefit of all involved.

Definitions:

Cultural Humility is the suspension of what you know or what you think you know about a person or group based on generalizations about their culture. This includes the commitment to lifelong learning and critical self-reflection, recognizing and challenging power imbalances for respectful partnerships and institutional accountability.

Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from another based on which we may be treated differently in society.

Dimensions of diversity include but are not limited to variation of age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, class, veteran status and other aspects of identity that make us unique. Respect for and celebration of the diverse perspectives, work experiences, lifestyles and cultures we each bring to the table drives innovation and allows our organization to thrive.

Equity is an approach to ensure all people have equal access to the same opportunities, whether that is access to public lands and the experiences they offer, the benefits of a healthy environment including clean water and air, and job and partnership opportunities with GSEP

Inclusion is celebrating, welcoming and elevating diversity to a state of being valued, respected and supported.

It’s about making a conscious effort to focus on the needs of individuals and ensuring the right conditions are in place for persons to achieve their full potential. Inclusion should be reflected in an organization’s culture, practices, decisions, and relationships that are in place to support a diverse workforce.