Open Spaces seeks Indigenous input on renaming, signage for Observatory Mesa

Robert Wallace, open space supervisor and liaison to the Open Spaces Commission, asked the Indigenous Commission on Aug. 7 for input on a proposed renaming and on culturally informed signage and trail names for Observatory Mesa. The Open Spaces Commission is considering changing the designation from "Observatory Mesa Natural Area" to "Observatory Mesa Natural And Cultural Preserve" to better reflect the area's conservation status and indigenous connections. Wallace described the area as roughly 2,200 acres with 5.8 miles of formal trail and said the Open Spaces Commission wants to emphasize preservation rather than solely recreation. He said the commission is inclined to keep the familiar "Observatory Mesa" root name — which appears on USGS maps and is associated locally with Lowell Observatory — while adding wording to highlight cultural resources and stewardship. Why this matters: the renaming and signage decisions will guide interpretive material, trail naming and future management priorities for a large open-space parcel that neighbors developed areas and hosts sensitive natural and cultural resources. Commissioners discussed options for how the Indigenous Commission might participate. Commissioner Marks asked whether the Indigenous Commission could poll or survey tribal communities and neighbors for alternative names or Indigenous identifiers; Wallace said feedback on changing the root name would be taken to the Open Spaces Commission and that adding "cultural preserve" to the current name was the commission’s working preference. Commissioner Lamont Olvaya said he would prefer a name that incorporates a culturally significant term and suggested reconsidering the word "preserve," which he felt carries a strictly natural-conservation connotation rather than broader cultural meaning. Wallace described the trail plan as three phases that would add trails, restore unsustainable unauthorized routes, add directional and interpretive signage, and create parking and an educational zone near the boundary for field trips by Flagstaff Unified School District. He supported using QR codes and story-mapping to expand interpretive content beyond what fits on a sign. The Indigenous Commission discussed a motion to keep the "Observatory Mesa" root in the name while pursuing Indigenous Commission recommendations about the suffix and signage; the motion was seconded and the commissioners present indicated approval by voice vote. Wallace said he would relay the commission—s input to the Open Spaces Commission and return for more input when trail-design and signage details are developed.