Graffiti vandals creep into National Parks

[boondockdad]

Graffiti artists' move to national parks shocks nature community - LA Times

These soulless imbeciles aren't content with vandalizing the wretched carcasses of a city they call home... they've got to deface our national treasures, now

Everyone needs to be on the lookout for this

Citizens arrest, or at the very least take pictures of them

I'll be calling and writing my senator about this, and the need to significantly increase the severity of vandalism laws in NP's, NF's

[cwf]

yup...

[Lily&Me]

How sad.


Maggie

[dznf0g]

The summer after high school (1978) I was awarded a position with the Forest Service through the Isaac Walton League in Idaho. I was On the Canyon Ranger District along the North Fork of the Clearwater River. 60 miles to the nearest grocery, etc. It was pristine and perhaps the best 3 months of my life. Down the river, from camp, there was a very large rock (perhaps 50' high) with several ledges on the inside bend of the river,,,,water was deep there. After a hard dau's work we would dive off the rock and swim there. Nothing but us, the ospreys and the elk.

When my kids were in their teens, I wanted to show them the place which I talked about frequently , and was spiritual for me.

Imagine my horror to find the rock, my little place, was covered in graffiti.

A true disappointment in my life.

[Wingeezer]

Idiots! ........ Oh no, sorry, the poor dears just feel not a part of society and we need to show them more understanding!

Brian.

[r carl]

They have nothing to fear, guns are banned in national parks.

[timmaah]

Originally Posted by r carl

They have nothing to fear, guns are banned in national parks.

You are wrong. Guns are allowed.

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by r carl

They have nothing to fear, guns are banned in national parks.

Not anymore.
Federal law only prohibits firearms in buildings.

I think the fine/punishment is way too lenient.

IANAL, but here's an excerpt from CFR

§ 1.3 Penalties.
(a) A person convicted of violating a provision of the regulations contained in parts 1 through 7, 12 and 13 of this chapter, within a park area not covered in paragraphs (b) or (c) of this section, shall be punished by a fine as provided by law, or by imprisonment not exceeding 6 months, or both, and shall be adjudged to pay all costs of the proceedings.

(b) A person who knowingly and will- fully violates any provision of the regulations contained in parts 1 through 5, 7 and 12 of this chapter, within any national military park, battlefield site, national monument, or miscellaneous memorial transferred to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior from that of the Secretary of War by Executive Order No. 6166, June 10, 1933, and enumerated in Executive Order No. 6228, July 28, 1933, shall be punished by a fine as provided by law, or by imprisonment for not more than 3 months, or by both.

[dznf0g]

BTW, be aware (guns reminded me, and hopefully this thread won't devolve into the usual) a buddy of mine went hunting in the UP recently. He set up his trail cam, and captured an image of a HUGE male cougar/mountain lion. They are coming back there....just be aware. Black bears pretty much leave you alone, in remote areas, unless you do something stupid. But mountain lions could and will actively hunt you.

[jcanavera]

We've got them here to at the Arch which is a Federal Park. Lots of idiots have carved their initials and other words into the stainless steel cladding that is within reach. Cant believe folks would do this.

Jack

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

BTW, be aware (guns reminded me, and hopefully this thread won't devolve into the usual) a buddy of mine went hunting in the UP recently. He set up his trail cam, and captured an image of a HUGE male cougar/mountain lion. They are coming back there....just be aware. Black bears pretty much leave you alone, in remote areas, unless you do something stupid. But mountain lions could and will actively hunt you.

Attachment 237457

WHOA!

Hard to tell scale but, that looks like a pretty good sized meat eater.

[IanPoulin]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

We've got them here to at the Arch which is a Federal Park. Lots of idiots have carved their initials and other words into the stainless steel cladding that is within reach. Cant believe folks would do this.

Jack

Yeah - then you have the same idiots who want to be able to directly touch and interact with delicate features in caves; or carve into rocks. Did you catch the news of the recent American tourists caught carving their initials into the walls of the Roman Colosseum?

Regarding at home park systems, another reason to try and improve the funding and education within the parks systems; to try and instill the spirit of John Muir into a new generation.

[IanPoulin]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

BTW, be aware (guns reminded me, and hopefully this thread won't devolve into the usual) a buddy of mine went hunting in the UP recently. He set up his trail cam, and captured an image of a HUGE male cougar/mountain lion. They are coming back there....just be aware. Black bears pretty much leave you alone, in remote areas, unless you do something stupid. But mountain lions could and will actively hunt you.

Attachment 237457

Oooh, nice to see them returning! There is hope in them thar wilderness!

[boondockdad]

aaaand here comes the "the great unwashed are all parasites on Mother Gaia" comments

Touching a rock vs. carving into it with a hardened steel chisel or defacing with enamel paint, just isn't the same

Sorry. Non-starter.

But, you do make your position very clear. You see stewards of this earth, like myself, in the same light as I see these vandalizing scum.

[boondockdad]

Here's the 'Modern Hiker' article they reference... Why the Creepytings National Parks Vandalism is a Big Deal | Modern Hiker

Of course, I don't see 'funding' as the problem...

[dayner]

El Morro National Monument, where yesterday's graffiti is tomorrow's protected history.....

[FishinHatteras]

This just further solidifies my constant saying to myself and my children:

There is no limit to stupidity.

I too will be writing my congressmen/women asking for an increase in penalties and fines for such stupid behavior. I am truly SMH (shaking my head).
And my wife & I leave for AZ & UT in just 8 days. Makes me sick to my stomach.

[IanPoulin]

I don't see funding as a problem; just part of the solution. Do we increase prosecution and fines without changing the negative culture; or do we also include an increase in education to help introduce a love of the natural environment? I'd rather not see individuals banned or imprisoned if they can be educated and learn to love nature for what it is.

[Rocinante]

It's disappointing, but not a new problem - a tour of Carlsbad Caverns NP will quickly introduce you to cavern rooms where the floor of the room has been reduced to dust. Before they had trails with guard rails to "keep you safe", people walked all over the place and ruined all the delicate structures on the floor. The only formations left in those rooms are the ones too big to crush underfoot.

Here is just one example: http://www.casarocinante.com/Travel/...NP/i-mr22FMX/A

The room looks pretty impressive, but study the floor a few moments. Ranger told us the smooth powdery-looking floor is 100% man-made by crushing feet of the early tourists wandering thoughtlessly throughout the cave to get closer to (and possibly climb up and/or sit on) an interesting formation.

Regarding the mountain lion in the prior photo - it's tempting to wish a busy tagger becomes an amuse bouche for one of those critters, but then rangers would just have to go out and kill the poor animal, so I'll refrain.

[boondockdad]

When Mount Saint Helen erupted, blowing out a section of caldera, it pulverized hundreds of square miles. Created a new canyon. Changed surface levels by 200', downed thousands of trees, left hundreds of acres stripped of topsoil... and that's not even mentioning what the ash plume did.

So, yeah. Some dust on the floor in Carlsbad from folks passing thru (not vandalism) doesn't strike me as a big deal.