Final Cultural Resource Recommendations
for Canyons of the Ancients National Monument

Goal: Protect and manage Monument cultural resources to ensure long-term public benefits from research, education and cultural heritage while balancing other uses and considering affects on the local economy.

Objective l:  Obtain information needed to protect, evaluate and monitor the condition of cultural resources.

Management Action 1-1. Inventory and evaluate cultural resources.

1-1-a. Conduct phased program to complete the cultural resource inventory of the Monument under mandates of Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act and related authorities.

1-1-b. Establish goals and priorities for inventory prior to designing field recording protocols (e.g., information needed for management purposes and information needed to address research, cultural heritage, and educational needs; sequence of areas to be inventoried).

1-1-c. Establish a schedule with explicit benchmarks for inventory phasing (e.g., start with high-use areas where sites are likely to be impacted by visitor use, economic development, or other effects).

1-1-d. Work to promote compatibility between BLM inventory methods and data and those used by other organizations (e.g., CRM contractors, academic or research institutions).

1-1-e. Ensure that persons conducting inventories are aware of and sensitive to cultural heritage concerns of Native Americans and others.

1-1-f. Establish criteria for when surface collections will be made during inventory and when in-field analysis will be used.

Management Action 1-2. Identify sites and site complexes with special management potentials and prioritize their needs.

1-2-a. Identify sites, site complexes, or areas of the Monument that should receive special management attention because of their high educational, research, or cultural heritage values. (Some of these are already known, others will be identified as inventory proceeds.)

1-2-b. Identify sites that are especially vulnerable to damage because they are highly visible, have standing walls or pictographs, or have undisturbed deposits or structures in situations where erosion is likely, etc.

1-2-c. Identify sites or site complexes at which stabilization, fencing, or erosion control could reduce threats to site integrity, with emphasis on sites identified in 1-2-a and 1-2-b.

Management Action 1-3. Monitor condition of cultural resources.

1-3-a. Establish plans and priorities for monitoring cultural resources. Give consideration to the following options, among others:

1-3-a-(1). More frequent monitoring of sites with high research, educational or cultural heritage values.

1-3-a-(2). More frequent monitoring of sites located in high-use zones.

1-3-a-(3). Recognize two types of monitoring program: first, the existing site steward program, and second, a sampling program for collecting systematic data on site condition.

1-3-b. Work with collaborating organizations to expand the volunteer site steward program and add additional sites to the list of those to be monitored.

1-3-c. Establish explicit, comparable measures of site condition, and a program to systematically apply these at a sample of sites. (This is the second type of program referred to in 1-3-a-(3) above.)

1-3-c-(1). Provide training for personnel (whether they are BLM staff, contractors, or volunteers from collaborating organizations) in use of explicit site monitoring measures noted in 1-3-c.

1-3-d. Use data on site condition to produce periodic reports systematically assessing the condition of the Monument’s cultural resources and identifying needs.

Objective 2:  Protect cultural resources to ensure long-term availability for public benefit.

Management Action 2-1. Comply with standard Section 106 procedures with respect to agency undertakings that have the potential to affect significant cultural resources.

2-1-a. Ensure that personnel (including contractors) employed to carry out these procedures are familiar with relevant literature, local chronological indicators, and Native American concerns, and that they have basic professional qualifications (such as those of the Register of Professional Archaeologists).

Management Action 2-2. Take cultural resource concerns into account in developing plans for public access to the Monument.

2-2-a. In designing public access zones as a management tool, consider educational opportunities as well as need to protect cultural resources

2-2-b. Looting and vandalism of cultural resources generally increase with ease of motor vehicle access. Design of visitor access zones should take this into account, e.g., 1) high use zone should have easy motor vehicle access; 2) intermediate use zone should have limited motor vehicle access on bladed dirt roads; 3) remote or backcountry use zone should have no motor vehicle access except by permit.

2-2-c. Close informal two-track roads and prohibit off-road vehicle use.

2-2-d. Respect rights of Native Americans to visit sacred sites at times of their choosing (as intended in the American Indian Religious Freedom Act).

Management Action 2-3. Develop a visitor education plan that includes cultural resource protection. At a minimum, the plan should present ways to accomplish the following:

2-3-a. Ensure that BLM personnel who regularly meet the public are knowledgable about the importance of protecting cultural resources and about cultural resource laws.

2-3-b. At sites that receive high public visitation, use appropriate signage, brochures, and regular ranger visits to encourage visitors to protect cultural resources.

2-3-c. Incorporate cultural resource protection messages in exhibits and handouts at the Anasazi Heritage Center, Cortez Center, and Hovenweep National Monument.

2-3-d. Incorporate cultural resource protection messages in educational outreach programs for schools and interest groups.

2-3-e. Partner with local organizations and groups to develop and deliver educational programs that include messages about cultural resource protection (e.g., Colorado Archaeological Society local chapters, Cortez Center, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Kelly Place, etc.)

2-3-f. Work with user groups (e.g., grazing, oil and gas, ORV, recreationists, hunters) to promote understanding of cultural resource law and to enlist their support for cultural resource protection.

2-3-g. Work with members of descendant communities to ensure that visitor education plans are culturally sensitive and appropriate.

2-3-h. Publicize a phone number where individuals can report looting or vandalism at sites.

2-3-i. In resource protection messages and contacts, stress positives of cultural resource protection (what can be learned from them, responsibility to preserve them for future generations to enjoy, cultural heritage value to Native Americans and other groups.

Management Action 2-4. Enlist cooperation of interested groups and individuals to develop sense of community stewardship.

2-4-a. Collaborate with local and regional archaeological organizations, interest groups, and other community organizations on public education and on the site steward program (e.g., San Juan Mountain Association, Colorado Archaeological Society chapters, Kelly Place, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez Center, etc.).

2-4-b. Work with Native American and other descendant groups to design ways to protect sites or areas having high cultural heritage values.

2-4-c. Establish training program about site-visit etiquette and cultural resource law for backcountry educational and recreational permittees and organized groups.

2-4-d. Ask user groups (ranchers, fluid minerals industry, recreationists, hunters) to assist in publicizing the stewardship message and to report violators.

2-4-e. Establish and publicize a telephone number where individuals can report site looting or vandalism.

Management Action 2-5. Carry out stabilization and other active protective measures at selected sites.

2-5-a Use information obtained from Management Actions 1-2 and 1-3 to develop priorities and plans for stabilization, fencing, signage, erosion control and other protective measures.

2-5-b Revise plans and priorities on a regular basis as new information becomes available.

Management Action 2-6. Develop a cultural resource law enforcement plan that includes but is not limited to the following:

2-6-a. Evaluate need for additional federal law enforcement staffing for enforcement of cultural resource laws.

2-6-b Ensure that federal law enforcement staff on the Monument are knowledgable about cultural resource law and investigative procedures, and skilful in dealing with resource users and the general public.

2-6-c. Establish liaison with county law enforcement personnel for cultural resource law enforcement.

2-6-d. Assist county law enforcement personnel in receiving cultural resource law enforcement training.

Objective 3:  Recognize national and regional role of the Monument as a laboratory for scientific/scholarly research by facilitating investigator-initiated research.

Management Action 3-1. Develop procedures to encourage high-quality scientific and scholarly research on the Monument.

3-1-a. In recognition of the national importance of the Monument’s archaeological resources, establish a broad-based outside advisory panel to advise Monument staff regarding archaeological and related scientific and cultural resource management research on the Monument.

3-1-b. Use peer review as appropriate to evaluate the scientific/scholarly potential of research proposals.

3-1-c. When evaluating research proposals, avoid a priori rejection of particular research methods; consider information potential as well as management concerns on a case-by-case basis.

3-1-d. For research that alters the in situ archaeological record, require use of methods that minimize impact on the record consistent with obtaining needed information.

Management Action 3-2. Encourage archaeological research that achieves multiple management objectives in addition to contributing significant new knowledge.

3-2-a. Encourage interdisciplinary projects with the potential to produce significant new ecological or other scientific information, in addition to archaeological results.

3-2-b. Consider scientific research goals and data needs in the design of management-related cultural resource studies.

3-2-c. Encourage research at sites, site complexes, or areas of the Monument where public access and public education will be focused, while remaining open to proposals for appropriate, well-justified research elsewhere, including backcountry.

3-2-d. Require researchers to share information with the public through lectures, site tours, etc.

3-2-e. For field research in "back-country" areas, establish requirements for vehicular access, etc., that are consistent with maintaining environmental quality.

Management Action 3-3. Ensure that concerns of Native Americans and other descendant communities are considered in design and conduct of research projects.

3-3-a. In addition to government to government consultation with tribes, encourage direct and continuing communication between archaeological researchers and Native Americans knowledgable about the area (e.g., through cooperation with the Native American Advisory Committee at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center).

3-3-b. Encourage researchers to find out what types of research Native Americans think would be meaningful to their communities, and what types of research would be considered disrespectful, and to design their projects to take these concerns into account.

3-3-c. Encourage researchers planning to work with historic period "Anglo" archaeology to communicate with descendants of those communities to find out their interests and concerns.

Objective 4:  Promote educational use of monument resources to enhance public understanding and enjoyment of the past and of cultural diversity without compromising qualities such as remoteness and lack of commercialization that characterize the Monument.

Management Action 4-1. Develop long-range plan for interpretation/public education regarding cultural resources.

4-1-a. Develop interpretation/public education plan that reflects Pueblo, Navajo, Ute, Spanish/Hispanic, and Anglo history in the Monument area.

4-1-b. Develop differing approaches to public education for high-use, intermediate use, and backcountry zones.

4-1-c. Develop plans for adding additional "semi-developed" sites in high-use zone if visitor demand warrants.

Management Action 4-2. Focus on-site public education at selected "semi-developed" sites or areas in high-use (easy access) zone.

4-2-a. Use moderate amounts of stabilization, construction of trails, signage, etc., to channel visitor use of sites and areas to protect cultural properties while permitting positive visitor experience.

4-2-b. Provide adequate but still semi-primitive visitor accommodations (i.e., parking, restroom facilities, information kiosks).

4-2-c. Provide adequate but not intrusive on-site interpretation in the form of signs and brochures. In addition to archaeologists’ interpretation, materials should provide Native American perspectives, and information about site etiquette and respect for the sacred character of cultural heritage values in the Monument area.

4-2-d. Require large groups (e.g., bus tours) to be accompanied by a BLM interpreter or trained guide/outfitter.

4-2-e. Conduct regular ranger or staff visits to selected sites in order to contact visitors and also to check for problems.

4-2-f. Plan to have a seasonal employee or seasonal volunteer in residence at the most heavily-visited site(s) if visitor numbers or problems with vandalism warrant.

Management Action 4-3. Provide for public access to archaeological sites and areas for educational purposes.

4-3-a. Require groups planning archaeologically-oriented visits to obtain a permit and to show that the trip leader has adequate training in archaeological interpretation, cultural resource law, site etiquette, and cultural heritage sensitivity.

4-3-b. Develop a training program in archaeological interpretation, cultural resource law, site etiquette, and cultural heritage sensitivity for guides, outfitters and educational trip leaders.

4-3-c. Limit the size of archaeologically-oriented groups to ensure the resources (e.g., archaeology) in the area(s) they are visiting are not impaired.

4-3-d. Provide informational/educational materials for individual visitors at main entry points to areas of the Monument (both roads and trails).

4-3-e. Include information for potential visitors in public educational programs delivered outside the Monument (e.g., at the Anasazi Heritage Center, in schools, in presentations to groups, etc.).

4-3-f. Ensure that visitors recognize Monument boundaries and understand that landowner's permission is required if they wish to visit cultural resources on private lands in or adjacent to the Monument.

Management Action 4-4. Develop educational programs for delivery outside the Monument.

4-4-a. Monument staff, working with other education specialists in BLM, should develop exhibits, videos, print materials, etc., that interpret Monument resources and that can be delivered in a variety of venues (e.g., Anasazi Heritage Center, schools, talks to interest groups, etc.).

4-4-b. Monument staff should collaborate with other entities (e.g., local chapters of Colorado Archaeological Society, Colorado Historical Society, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Kelly Place, other community groups such as 4-H, etc.) to design and deliver educational materials and programs about the Monument to the general public.

Objective 5:  Preserve cultural heritage values of cultural resources and landscapes.

Management Action 5-1. Seek information and advice about heritage values from individuals and groups having cultural connections to the Monument area.

5-1-a. Some Native American sites are considered sacred, and divulging information about them is considered sacrilegious. Native American advisors should be given the opportunity to provide general critiques of management plans or programs that might affect sacred sites, without having to divulge the specific locations of these sites.

5-1-b. Continuing dialog with members of descendant communities—both Native American and "Anglo"—will enable Monument management to learn about and monitor these groups’ cultural heritage concerns.

Management Action 5-2. Ensure access to sacred sites and traditional cultural properties by Native American individuals and groups having cultural connections to the Monument area.

5-2-a. With respect to access to Native American sacred sites, Monument management should be guided by the intent of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.

5-2-b. Native Americans undoubtedly make regular unannounced visits to sacred sites in the Monument area. Simply letting these practices continue without drawing attention to these visitors or the areas they visit will be the best management practice in most cases.

5-2-c. Native Americans who experience problems of access to sacred sites or traditional cultural properties should be encouraged to express their concerns to the Monument Manager.

Management Action 5-3. Provide for protection and management of "Anglo" cultural heritage.

5-3-a. Identify historic sites that represent the Anglo cultural heritage and develop plans for protecting, interpreting, and researching selected sites.

5-3-b. Attempt to preserve long-established patterns of activity and land use (e.g., cattle drives) that are part of the local community’s cultural heritage.

Management Action 5-4. Consider the importance of setting and context in designing management approaches to preserving the heritage values of particular sites and areas.

Management Action 5-5. Develop and carry out educational programs to ensure that Monument visitors understand and respect its cultural heritage values (see material presented under Objective 4).

Objective 6:  Consider local and regional economic effects of management decisions and actions, while giving priority to maintaining and providing access to the Monument’s research, educational, and cultural heritage values.

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