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California's deserts house one of the world's largest concentrations of
petroglyphs and pictographs-carvings and drawings on rocks made by ancient
peoples. But they're in danger. They're being shot at for target practice,
chiseled off canyon walls, and toted home as souvenirs or for sale on the black
market. Some concerned residents of Southern California have taken two kinds of volunteer action to help government agencies curb this thoughtless vandalism. Their ideas could easily be adapted elsewhere to protect ghost towns and historical or archeological sites. Watching and warning. Ike Eastvold, a Riverside-based petroglyph expert, has organized Petroglyph Watch. For the past three years, concerned volunteers from Los Angeles and the Riverside San Bernardino area have taken turns spending fall and winter weekends camping near petroglyph sites in heavily visited desert areas. When anyone approaches, the volunteers explain the importance of this art and the state and federal laws protecting it. "Our tack is educational," says Eastvold. "Most people are interested in learning about petroglyphs and respond positively." Building barriers. In addition, volunteers from four-wheel-drive, archeology, museum, and conservation groups have donated their time and muscle to build barriers at three important sites, enclosing a total of 7,500 petroglyphs. Private companies and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) donated the cement, posts, and cables. Each barricade took a day or two to build. These barriers permit access on foot, but close the area to vehicles and the temptation to haul this irreplaceable prehistoric rock art away. In all instances the volunteers have coordinated their plans with the BLM or private individuals who own the land. Help. If you're interested in further information, or going along on a November 22-23 camping trip to build another barricade or check out petroglyph sites, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Desert Watch, do Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club, 2410 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles 90057. |
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