Friday April 30, 2021

The Bureau of Land Management completed some minimal emergency treatment on the Birthing Rock petroglyph panel on Wednesday. The site is at least 1,000 years old and was found marred by obscenities earlier this week. So what do conservators consider before attempting to mitigate damage at a cultural site like Birthing Rock? Today on the news, we speak with former BLM Moab archeologist Don Montoya. He currently works as a consultant with land management agencies and has plenty of experience in damage assessment. Montoya says this is not the first time the Birthing Rock panel has suffered vandalism.

And later, our Weekly News Reel where we speak with other reporters about the stories they most recently covered. Times-Independent editor Doug McMurdo (15:00) discusses local reactions to the Birthing Rock vandalism, the city’s new noise ordinance, an auction to help support women’s health at the Moab Free Health Clinic, and the new middle school move-in. Moab Sun News reporter Rachel Fixen (23:30) talks about the recent vandalism highlighting tensions in outdoor recreation and land management, Moab City’s strategies on sustainability efforts, and some highlights on local youth.

Show Notes:

Photo: Some minimal emergency treatment on the Birthing Rock petroglyph panel was done by the Bureau of Land Management this week.

Utah Division of State History: Archeology and Historic Preservation Month 2021
https://history.utah.gov/archaeology-and-historic-preservation-month-2021/

Tread Lightly: Respect and Protect Program
https://treadlightly.org/campaigns/respect-and-protect/

Utah Statewide Archeological Society
https://utaharchaeology.org

Utah Rock Art Research Association
https://urara.wildapricot.org

Weekly News Reel Mentions –

The Times-Independent: Helping hands move into Margaret L. Hopkin Middle School
https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/helping-hands-move-into-margaret-l-hopkin-middle-school/
The Times-Independent: Clinic’s jewelry auction to fund women’s health
https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/clinics-jewelry-auction-to-fund-womens-health/
The Times-Independent: Birthing Rock vandalized; Moab community outraged
https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/birthing-rock-vandalized-moab-community-outraged/
The Times-Independent: City approves new noise ordinance
https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/city-approves-new-noise-ordinance/

Moab Sun News: Birthing Rock vandalism highlights tensions between public lands and Indigenous sacred places
https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_65128e5c-a86c-11eb-aabc-73f2a847ff15.html
Moab Sun News: City strategizes on sustainability efforts – Water conservation, energy plans debated
https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_0e834228-a89b-11eb-bf8d-dff66cb46ca1.html
Moab Sun News: Local youth to play baseball for college team
https://www.moabsunnews.com/sports_and_outdoor/article_b1d42dfe-a88f-11eb-bac7-379209390d89.html
Moab Sun News: GCHS student, Lillian Scott, joins library board
https://www.moabsunnews.com/get_out_and_go/article_e7907da8-a8f8-11eb-8a91-a31e98a5abeb.html