Mel Lloyd     970-244-3097

April 8, 2008

Volunteers work to restore public lands damaged by paint vandals

FRUITA, Colo. — Nearly 60 volunteers spent a recent weekend assisting in the clean up and restoration of public lands located in Kodels Canyon of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (NCA) and the Colorado National Monument. The lands are managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. Vandals struck last fall, spray painting a series of graffiti along the picturesque canyon’s rugged rock ledges.

"We couldn’t have accomplished what we did in such a short time frame without the help of a lot of great folks volunteering their time," NCA Park Ranger Troy Schnurr said. "We had three crews working, with no injuries, and were successful in cleaning off all 22 tags from the sandstone."

BLM investigators were able to piece together several leads to quickly find those responsible for the vandalism. Last week the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Colorado, finalized a civil settlement agreement with the three parties responsible for the vandalism. As part of the penalty, the parties participated in the clean-up effort and are required to reimburse the U.S. Government for restoration costs expected to total approximately $8,200.

The BLM Grand Junction Field Office is the steward of 1.2 million acres of public lands, including 123,430 acres encompassing the McInnis Canyons NCA and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness. The BLM depends on the public to watch for illegal or unsafe practices on public lands and asks you to report incidents by dialing 911, or contacting the nearest field office.

###

Editor’s Note: Photos of clean-up effort available upon request.