Thank you for standing with SCCA—your support keeps stewardship alive
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Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance fosters awareness and appreciation of the landscape and cultural heritage of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument through collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management.
Dear Friends,
As we move into the final months of the year, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for all the ways you’ve supported Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance (SCCA) in 2025. Whether you’ve attended an event, volunteered your time, made a donation, or simply visited Canyons of the Ancients National Monument with care and respect, you are part of what keeps this place protected and thriving.
Your support means more than ever right now. The ongoing government shutdown has deeply affected public lands and the nonprofit partners who care for them. With many staff furloughed, visitor centers closed, and key programs paused, organizations like SCCA are stepping up to fill the gap, keeping stewardship and connection to the land alive even in uncertain times.
Thanks to you, our Cultural Site Stewardship Program continues strong. We're able to support volunteers who are still out in the field, contributing countless hours to ensure that cultural resources remain safeguarded during this pause in federal operations. This community-driven work is what keeps hope, purpose, and protection alive when so much else is on hold.
As we look toward the year’s end, I invite you to stand with us once again. Your gift today sustains the people and programs that protect the heart of this landscape, from monitoring cultural sites to offering free educational and cultural events that inspire care and respect for the land.
Thank you for being part of our SCCA community and for believing in the importance of stewardship, even in challenging times. Together, we’re protecting what matters most.
With gratitude,
Markleigh Swanson Executive Director Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance
P.S. Your gift today helps ensure that stewardship and outreach continue—no matter the challenges ahead. Please consider making a year-end contribution to protect the places, stories, and connections that make our community so special.
Celebrating 25 Years of National Conservation Lands
Earlier this summer SCCA helped the BLM celebrate the 25th anniversary of the designation of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. That same year, in 2000, the Department of Interior established the National Conservation Lands system. This is a system of protected public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Now, 25 years later, there are over 900 different units included, totaling over 38 million acres.
A recent issue of the Conservation Lands Foundation newsletter states, “the George Wright Society's Park Stewardship Forum Journal recently released a special edition dedicated to the National Conservation Lands system. This special issue, guest-edited by Conservation Lands Foundation staff, brings together voices from across our Friends Grassroots Network, the Bureau of Land Management, and the broader conservation community to celebrate the National Conservation Lands' remarkable diversity and Bureau of Land Management’s innovative management philosophy.”
CANM is referenced in one of the articles, Conservation for the 21st Century, BLM Style, by Tom Heinlein, the former BLM Field Office Manager in neighboring Monticello, Utah. “Twenty-five years of work show that there is no one-size-fits-all prescription for managing National Conservation Lands, which are composed largely of national monuments, national conservation areas, wilderness areas, wilderness study areas, wild and scenic rivers, and national scenic and historic trails. Management of each unit heavily depends on the designating language, which always identifies specific features that BLM should conserve, protect, and restore. With that as BLM’s guiding principle, other uses may be allowed so long as they are compatible with and do not degrade the resources or values for which the area was designated.”
“For instance, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in southwestern Colorado was designated in 2000 to protect archaeological and cultural resources. However, because there were valid oil and gas leasing rights outstanding on public lands within the monument, leasing and development continues as long as it does not “create any new impacts that interfere with the proper care and management of the objects protected by this proclamation.”
We hope you’ll save the date for our annual Luminaria Night on December 5, assuming the shutdown is resolved soon. This beloved tradition brings light, community, and reflection to the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum. We’ll be hosting a silent auction to support SCCA’s work, and we warmly welcome donated items, especially those that reflect the cultural heritage of our region. If you’d like to contribute, please reach out to me directly.
Looking for a meaningful gift or a way to support SCCA? Check out our online store, where you’ll find unique items that celebrate the beauty and heritage of CANM, including the 25th Anniversary T-shirt. Proceeds from your purchases directly support our programs.
Consider making a lasting impact on the preservation of the Canyons of the Ancients by including Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance in your will or estate planning. Your bequest, whether large or small, will help protect these treasured landscapes and their cultural heritage for future generations.
If you haven’t created a will or are thinking of updating it, now is a great time to consult with your attorney or financial advisor to ensure your wishes are clearly expressed.
If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to reach out.
Follow the directions on the page and select Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance either by name or use this code, WM546;
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REMEMBER, you must scan your registered City Market loyalty card or use the phone number that is related to your registered City Market loyalty card when you checkout for each purchase to count. Thank-you!
Help Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance Raise Much-Needed Funds for free!
Every time you shop at any of the 1,800+ online stores in the iGive network, a portion of the money you spend benefits Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance. It’s a free service, and you’ll never pay more when you reach a store through iGive. To get started, just create your free iGive account.
Looking for another way to give? Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance is proud to partner with ShopRaise. From groceries and apparel to technology and travel – a percentage of almost everything you buy using the ShopRaise app goes to support our cause. Click to download and start supporting us with every purchase: https://ShopRaise.com/support/swcocanyons
Thank you for supporting Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument!
Thank you for your support!*
Thank you to our members and supporters who donated between August 1 and August 31, 2025.
We appreciate your support!
Anonymous Donor Tracy Bradley Daniel Clouser Connie Falk Jeanne Freed Racheal Fuller Ann Holloway Shelley Hull Suzanne Jackson Susan Lowry onXmaps, Inc. Amy Voit
Deep Gratitude to our Sustaining Members
Thank you for providing SCCA with a steady stream of support!
Steve Barker Melissa Blackwell Ken Boucher Caroline Brown and Tom Ferrell Chris and Lou Burkett Tris and Bruce Downer Terri Helm Erik Hendrickson Don and Nancy Hoffheins Diane McBride Dan Miller Vincent Miller Gregory Munson Carolyn Roan Marcie Ryan Cynthia Sadler Michael Stillman Markleigh Swanson Carol Taylor and Cliff Giffen John Thyfault David and KD Umbarger
*SCCA processed contributions from new and renewing annual and sustaining members and donors named in this newsletter between August 1, 2025 and August 31, 2025. Corporate support and grants listed in this newsletter were given between August 1, 2024 and August 1, 2025. Please accept our sincerest apologies if your name or company is not listed here or if we have not yet processed your donation.
Visit Canyons of the Ancients National Monument For more information about visiting CANM go to this link.
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