Statement of Purpose
The chief objective of the NV Program is to report to the land managers the destruction, vandalism or other degradation of heritage resources in Nevada through a regularly scheduled routine of site visits.
In recognition of the fact that prehistoric and historic archaeological resources are irreplaceable national resources, the volunteer site stewards participating in the NV Program work towards the following goals:
To preserve prehistoric and historic archaeological resources for the purposes of conservation, scientific study and interpretation;
To increase public awareness of the significance and value of heritage resources and the existing State and Federal laws enacted for historical preservation; To discourage site vandalism and theft; and,
To promote understanding, cooperation and partnerships between the participating federal agencies, Native Americans and concerned citizens and to encourage respect and conservation of traditional lands and cultural resources.
(1) (Nevada Heritage Site Steward Program Handbook , Section 1, February 2005.
WHAT IS A SITE STEWARD?
Web site designed & hosted by NevadaSiteStewards © 2006 at Homestead™
Introduction
Vandalism, theft, visitor impacts and natural deterioration are diminishing the cultural and scientific values of Nevada's heritage resources. This degradation is occurring at an increasingly rapid rate as the population increases. These activities continue, in part, due to a lack of understanding by the public of the true value of the resources and a lack of regular surveillance of many locations. The Nevada Multiple Agency Site Steward Program (NV Program) is an organization of volunteers, sponsored by the major Federal Land Managing Agencies which share a commitment to the preservation of heritage resources. The NV Program offers an opportunity for concerned citizens to participate proactively with the agency cultural resource specialists to protect "at risk" heritage resources. The program is designed to monitor selected sites for natural or man-made degradation, as well as to create a "presence" on a regular basis in order to prevent looting and vandalism by recording and reporting these activities, should they occur. (1)
