On Thursday, December 12, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officials organized a media roundtable regarding cultural site vandalism, such as the recent defacing of petroglyph panels in Wire Pass. The remote meeting allowed questions from the media, answered by a panel of experts in Archaeology, Cultural Resource and Law Enforcement, including: Harry Barber, District Manager for the BLM Utah Paria River District, who proctored the meeting; Autumn Gillard, Cultural Resource Manager for the Paiute Tribe of Utah; Elizabeth Hora, Public Archaeologist for the Utah State Historic Preservation Office; Joey LaValley, Archaeologist for the BLM Utah Cedar City Field Office; Sheriff Tracy Glover of the Kane County Sheriff’s Office; and Brian Smith, BLM Utah Law Enforcement Ranger.
Left to right, photos courtesy of the BLM: BLM officials state that some anti-vandalism and cultural restorations efforts can cost tens of thousands of dollars and the work of an expert to mitigate or repair cultural sites.
The tone of the meeting emphasized the significance of the rock writing and other cultural sites, with Gillard associating such sites with churches or temples, actively used and respected cultural sites as opposed to something simply “ancient” or “historical.” Said Gillard, “These are our sacred spaces, these are actively connected to us. We use them, we visit them, we respect them now, not just as ancient history … Think of if someone were to come into your church or your temple and start writing their names all over the walls … these places aren’t abandoned, they are not ruins.”
One attending reporter asked the panel what the challenges are in investigating cases of vandalism. Sheriff Glover responded, “This is vast, open land, with wide spaces … what we really need from the public are their eyes and ears, that’s the most helpful asset we can have. If we have a clue we can trace it down, we’re getting better with technology so we can narrow it down that way within the boundaries of people’s privacy rights as well … When somebody witnesses a crime, if it’s possible to safely pull out a phone and catch a picture or a video, those sorts of things are worth a thousand words in an investigation. We’ll often have to ask ‘did you get a license plate number?’ From there, if it’s urgent, call 911 and we can detail information on evidence or a statement. If it’s not urgent, or there’s no cell coverage, try the BLM Website.” Smith added, “Savehistory. org is an option … but calling the sheriff’s office dispatch is the most streamlined way to get the right people to respond in a timely manner.” Both Glover and Smith reiterated the cooperation between law enforcement entities like the BLM’s rangers and the Sheriff’s Office, stating both bodies cooperate and function with connected dispatch systems. Said Glover, “That’s something I feel can get missed - people can be unsure who to call because of the designation of whether it’s forest service or BLM land or county land … there’s no division really, just call and we can communicate between ourselves appropriately.”
Barber also added, “We are not advocating for the public to get into a fight out there. A quick cell phone picture or video for evidence if it’s possible, but we’re not advocating for members of the public to get into altercations. Be safe.”
The panel was then asked how members of the public could best preserve these cultural sites and prevent accidental or intentional disturbances. Hora responded, “There are three basic rules we use: take nothing - just leave things where they are; leave nothing - littering, something as simple as spitting out sunflower seeds at an active site can disturb the site; and watch your step - the least you can do as you hike and explore potential archaeological areas is keep an eye out for old architecture or artifacts and make an effort not to disturb them by walking over them.” Gillard added, “As citizens of Utah, people should be educating themselves. It’s our obligation to better understand these cultures and sites … I hope people do understand that it’s okay for people to call me at the cultural office.” LaValley noted, “I think one simple thing is … when there’s a sign, realize that someone has made an effort and put resources into putting that sign there. I know you don’t get out into the wilderness to read or look at warnings, but those signs are one really important way to educate yourself about where you are and what you can do.”
The panel concluded with the experts outlining the special nature of Utah’s cultural sites and anti-vandalism efforts, outlining the unique research being done by local cultural organizations and universities and looking into why people damage these sites and what sites are most susceptible to damage.
After about an hour, Barber brought the meeting to a conclusion, reiterating this meeting was a first, and more information and media outreach along a similar vein may be on the way.
