Monument status will ensure less vandalism at Gold Butte

In his July 22 Review-Journal commentary, Stanley W. Paher called for President Donald Trump to rescind Gold Butte’s national monument designation. His comments belittle the extraordinary qualities of the monument and are a stab to undercut its protection in favor of undefined interests.

According to records from UNLV’s Public Lands Institute, damages to Gold Butte cultural sites accounted for 45 percent of all cultural impacts reported for Clark County. This is significant because Gold Butte constitutes only 6 percent of the county. Public amenities were non-existent as trash and human waste accumulated.

Now, plans for the new monument include stewardship monitoring, toilets, trash receptacles, information kiosks and increased ranger protection. This is decisive protection to 300,000 acres of our scientific, historic and prehistoric resources in Gold Butte.