18902 - The Navajo-Hopi Conflict: Diverse Cultures, Overgrazing and Arroyo Formation

Course Overview

Discover the dramatic history and science behind one of the Southwest’s most complex land disputes. The 1882 creation of the Hopi Reservation intensified tensions with the Navajo, a formerly nomadic people with an extensive reservation surrounding Hopi lands. In 1962, the federal government attempted to ease conflicts by creating the Joint Use Area. When that failed, the land was split into Hopi and Navajo Partitioned Lands in 1974. A lawsuit followed, with the Hopi claiming Navajo sheep grazing caused serious land degradation. But was overgrazing truly to blame? We'll explore how geology, soils, and ecology shape landscapes, and examine scientific evidence that challenges, or supports, the case. Gain insights into land use, culture, and the environment through both history and science.