FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2003

VANDALS STRIKE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL MONUMENT

Vandals have struck again at an archaeological site in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Last month, three signs were discovered damaged at the Painted Hand site, where volunteers had worked to upgrade parking and install signs to help manage visitor impacts. The signs were installed in 2001 as part of a National Public Lands Day event. Some 20 San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA) volunteers worked on the project.

"This destruction is an insult to all the local people who work so hard to preserve and protect these resources," said Ruth Lambert, SJMA Cultural Program Director.

"I am dismayed when I think of all the energy wasted by some people on destruction and negativity," said Esther Greenfield of Durango, who worked on the Painted Hand site and also serves as an SJMA cultural site steward.

"When I see this kind of vandalism, I wonder why the people doing it don’t have more pride and respect for the rich cultural heritage of our home area," said Nan Carman of Pleasant View, another SJMA volunteer and cultural site steward who also worked at the Painted Hand site.

Two trail signs reading, "Fragile Area, Please Stay On Trail," and a parking area sign were damaged. One of the trail signs was found and reinstalled; the other signs were not repairable and will have to be replaced. The vandalism occurred sometime in January or February.

Painted Hand is a unique Ancestral Puebloan site that features a standing tower perched on a boulder. It gets its name from hands that were painted on a boulder by its ancient inhabitants. It is one of 45 cultural sites in the National Monument monitored by the Southwest Colorado Cultural Site Stewardship Program coordinated by SJMA. Over the past two years, 85 volunteers have been trained as archeological site stewards to monitor prehistoric and historic sites on public lands in southwestern Colorado. The stewards help watch for damage caused by vandals or by overzealous visitors.

"We hope that, as people become aware of the site stewards program, it will be a deterrent," said LouAnn Jacobson, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument Manager. "The site stewards help inform us of problems so that we can document and repair damage quickly and prevent further site deterioration."

BLM Law enforcement is investigating the incident. The perpetrators face federal charges of vandalism to government property, which can carry up to a one-year prison sentence and $100,000 fine.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Anasazi Heritage Center at 970 882-4811.