As the number of wildfires increase and the severity of them worsen in the Western United States, there has been a prompting for a reevaluation of land management strategies. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe have been implementing “prescribed fire management” as a strategic approach to forest health, wildfire mitigation, and cultural preservation. In 2016, a prescribed burn was conducted in Garcia Canyon and Pargin Mountain to highlight its ecological benefits and cultural significance of controlled burns as part of traditional ecological knowledge. The analysis underscores the Tribe's role in leading sustainable land management practices that align traditional knowledge with contemporary forestry techniques. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe's adoption of prescribed burning exemplifies this integration of ancestral practices with modern forestry.

The main reason why these prescribed burns can mitigate the risk of uncontrolled wildfires is by reducing the accumulation of dead underbrush and other flammable materials. Additionally, the burns were intended to restore ponderosa pine stands, increase forage availability, and improve habitats for various wildlife species. The 2016 prescribed burn involved approximately 70 personnel from various agencies, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Tribe, Mescalero Apache Tribe, Zuni Pueblo, Los Pinos Fire Department, and the BIA Southwest Regional Office.

Beyond ecological considerations and partnerships, prescribed burning holds cultural importance for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Traditionally, fiire has been used in various ceremonies and as a means of land stewardship. The integration of prescribed burns into contemporary land management reflects a continuation of these practices, reinforcing cultural identity and sovereignty. By actively managing their lands through fire, the Tribe not only exercises self-determination and honors ancestral knowledge systems, but it demonstrates a holistic approach to land stewardship that balances ecological health with cultural preservation.This case study emphasizes the potential for Indigenous-led initiatives to inform and enhance broader land management strategies in the face of environmental challenges.

With the bison, the Blackfeet Nation are able to manage and restore their own lands and species, asserting their right to environmental governance and as an act tribal sovereignty. The reintroduction of the species was actually led by the Blackfeet Nation themselves, in partnership with various NGOs and conservation groups. The reintroduction near Chief Mountain, a region with significant ecological and cultural importance, represents a shift toward Indigenous-led conservation strategies and something far more than a wildlife story—it is a story of restoration, resistance, and renewal.