Opinion: Monumental Decision

Photo: U.S. Department of State/Flickr

Tom Bie, editor and publisher of The Drake, recently wrote a story on the magazine’s website about a potential new national monument. It’s become common for presidents to designate national monuments on their way out of office, and with Joe Biden leaving in a little over a month, Bie thinks this presents an opportunity to permanently protect a unique area in the West—the Owyhee Canyonlands.

Located not far from metro Boise, the Owyhee area has been discovered and exploded in popularity in recent years. The tailwater below the dam draws fly anglers, but as Bie writes, the rest of the Owyhee Canyonlands is “a seven-million-acre watershed with 10,000-foot peaks, Wild & Scenic Rivers, sheer-walled canyons, immense rock spires, golden eagles, sage grouse, kit foxes, chukar, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, a mere 300 miles of paved roads, and, for decades, few human visitors.” The area is also home to the Great Basin Redband trout, a native species that isn’t currently threatened, but given our track record in the West, deserves protection.

Bie makes a compelling argument for turning the Owyhee Canyonlands into a national monument. Monuments have their drawbacks, and Bie does his journalistic duty in discussing the issues locals have with a new designation. Ranching and agriculture can be impacted by national monuments, so there may need to be a finer balancing act to make this work.

You should read all of Bie’s piece and learn more about why many think the Owyhee Canyonloads deserve national monument status. You can do that here.