Wilson, Mary (Hoosier National Forest)
MANAGEMENT OF ROCKSHELTER SITES ON THE HOOSIER NATIONAL FOREST
This paper discusses management concerns and opportunities for Aboriginal rockshelter
sites on the Hoosier National Forest. The number of identified rockshelter sites
is increasing, but so is their destruction from illegal excavation. The rockshelter
in Crawford County recently located by Indiana University archaeologists and excavated
by the Forest Service is a good example of the management problems that now exist
- they are difficult to monitor for possible damage, they are readily visible
to illegal excavators, and the general public is largely unaware of Federal laws
that protect cultural sites.
Some of the ways identified to provide for the protection of these sites in Indiana
include: 1) Public Education - to existing laws and to raise the level of sensitivity
to the value of archaeology. 2) Signing - provides on-site notification of laws
and regulations effecting cultural resources. 3) Filling - the placing of physical
barriers that will make access to archaeological sites more difficult. 4) Monitoring
- the ongoing visitation of vulnerable sites to watch for any new damage. 5) Surveillance
- an active attempt to capture those responsible for vandelizing sites. Finally,
6) the Prosecution of those responsible for illegal acts. By initiating these
steps, the level of future disturbance can be lowered, and the public will become
more knowledgable about the value of archaeological resources on Federal Lands.
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