The Bears Ears region is a place held sacred to Native people across the Colorado Plateau. It’s also a place that has a complicated history with Western archaeologists, who at times harmed cultural sites that hold tremendous significance to Native communities. Here, we speak with Ralph Burrillo, whose pen name is R.E. Burrillo, about the scientific and natural history of the Bears Ears region and what he sees as the role of Western scientists today in supporting Indigenous-led efforts in Bears Ears.