Ethnographic Overview And Assessment: Zion National Park, Utah ...

CHAPTER ONE
STUDY OVERVIEW
This is an applied ethnographic study of Southern Paiute cultural resources and how these
are related to the natural ecosystems (Figure 1) that surround and incorporate Zion National
Park in southern Utah and Pipe Spring National Monument in northern Arizona (Figure 2).
This study is special in two ways. Unlike most other studies of American Indian cultural
resources found within National Parks, this study moves beyond the formal boundaries of these
NPS units in an effort to understand them as components of a broader natural ecosystem. As
such, this study is part of a new tradition which seeks to establish a scientific and social
framework for ecologically based stewardship of Federal lands and waters (Ecological
Stewardship Workshop 1995). Unlike most studies of American Indian cultural resources which
do not involve Indian tribes in the design and conduct of research, this study was preceded by
the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the involved parks and culturally
affiliated Indian tribal governments. As partners in the research process, these tribes have had a
voice in how their cultural resource issues would be studied and presented to the NPS.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of this applied ethnographic study
by highlighting some of its special findings. In addition, the chapter provides a conceptual
context for understanding both the NPS's interest in ecosystem management and how Southern
Paiute people view space, time, and cultural resources. This chapter is viewed as containing
essential information for understanding the much more technical and detailed discussions that
occur in the following chapters.
1.1 Ecological Stewardship
The NPS, along with other Federal land management agencies, is seeking new ways to
view, study, and manage the human, biological, and physical resources for which they are
responsible. The current ecological stewardship movement is based on principles (both
established and yet to be established) of ecosystem management.
Today, there are major efforts completed and underway to more clearly define what is
involved with ecosystem management, how to collect new data to inform land use managers,
and help define a process for implementing new management practices. Perhaps the most
recent and broadly applicable of these efforts has been released by the Interagency Ecosystem
Management Task Force (1995) as a three-volume report entitled The Ecosystem Approach:
Healthy Ecosystems and Sustainable Economies. This report is designed to provide clear
direction to Federal agencies in their efforts to adopt a proactive approach to ensuring a
sustainable economy and a sustainable environment. The Task Force report (1995:3) provides
the following key definitions:
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