Yuma Field Office
| Contacts: | Lori Cook | , 928-317-3243 | , cell-928-246-8560 |
World Renowned Sears Point Archaeological Site Damaged
Yuma, Ariz. – Late last year, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Law Enforcement Rangers discovered significant vandalism at Sears Point, a large rock art site located on BLM-administered lands in east Yuma County.
The damage to the site includes rolled boulders and fractured petroglyphs. Petroglyphs are designs or figures which have been pecked or scratched into rock surfaces. Petroglyphs are important to Native Americans today just as they were hundreds of years ago. Altering the natural landscape can be offensive to contemporary tribal members who still visit these places as their ancestors did.
Up to $5,000 in reward money is being offered for information leading to the identification and successful prosecution of those responsible for the illegal vandalism at Sears Point. To report information, please contact Law Enforcement Ranger Michael Hauck at 928-317-3274.
Archeology located on public lands is protected by law under the Archaeological Resource Protection Act, 16 USC 470ee. The unauthorized defacement of archeological resources located on public land is punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and/or imprisonment for up to five years, for each offense.
Sears Point Archaeological District has been designated by BLM as an Area of Critical Concern (ACEC) since June 1988. The ACEC is located approximately 75 miles east of Yuma, Ariz. The site consists of petroglyphs, trails, rock alignments, and other features which extend for miles along the southern bank of the Gila River.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.