New Chaco director takes charge as U.S. plans to leave UNESCO

Chaco Culture National Historical Park is one of the darkest places left on Earth.

The park is a gold-tier International Dark Sky Park, said Phoebe Redfield, the new executive director of the nonprofit Chaco Culture Conservancy, which supports the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chaco Culture National Historical Park and nearby Aztec Ruins National Monument.

Redfield is taking charge of the nonprofit as the U.S. plans to withdraw from UNESCO by the end of 2026, with the Trump administration arguing the international body promotes a “globalist, ideological agenda.”

Having the UNESCO World Heritage label brings additional prestige and visibility to sites like Chaco, Redfield said. But the U.S. withdrawal from UNESCO will likely have little impact on the conservancy’s operations, she said.