Preserving a collection of prehistoric rock art while making it readily accessible to tourists is the focus of a management plan now being drafted by the Bureau of Land Management.
BLM officials recently held meetings in Roosevelt and Price to get public comment concerning preliminary plans for Nine Mile Canyon, which straddles the boundary between Carbon and Duchesne counties.The meetings are part of an accelerated effort to put a 10-year management plan for the canyon into effect by September.
The canyon is becoming increasingly popular with tourists but has also been a favorite target of vandals in recent years. BLM officials hope to develop an effective management plan that will increase public awareness concerning the fragile nature of the canyon and its historical significance; provide better access and improved facilities for those visiting the canyon; and create a presence in the canyon that will deter vandalism.
Officials hope an effective plan will:
- Improve safety for those traveling the narrow and winding unimproved road in the canyon.
- Eliminate user-group conflicts.
- Find financing sources for proposed improvements.
- Mitigate tourists' effects on cultural resources.
- Protect historic sites from the effects of natural deterioration.
- Aid research concerning historic and prehistoric cultural resources.
- Coordinate efforts between government and private landowners in the canyon.
- Improve visitor facilities.
- Maintain the canyon's aesthetic qualities.
Although the federal government already manages some of the canyon through the BLM, most of Nine Mile is privately owned land, said Jaynee Levy, BLM Plan Coordinator.
In addition to the petroglyphs (designs scraped or pecked into the rock) and pictographs (pictures painted on rock), Nine Mile Canyon features Nutter's Ranch, another popular attraction.
In 1902, Preston Nutter, a well known cattle baron, bought land in the canyon making it the headquarters of one of the largest ranching operations in Utah. Although his ranch house was destroyed by fire several yeas ago, many of the other original buildings are still standing.
The road through Nine Mile Canyon was built by the 9th Calvary in 1886. It was known as the "Lifeline of the Uintah Basin" providing a supply and communication link between Fort Duchesne and the railroad line at Price. A year later the telegraph line was completed and in 1888 twice-weekly stage service was initiated along the 100-mile route.
"Cooperative agreements need to be worked out between the BLM and the landowner," said Bert Jensen, Nine Mile Canyon Citizens Coalition chairman. "If there's an easement problem with a landowner we'd certainly pursue something else."
Policing or "establishing a presence" in the canyon to deter vandals is also high on the group's priority list. Archaeologists say increasing vandalism to the canyon's priceless rock art is one of the reasons the management plan is needed.
"There has to be a presence in the canyon," Jensen said. People have to realize that if they break the law there they are going to get a ticket. That's the most important thing. People, no matter if they're polluters or environmentalists, if they don't think they're being watched they're going to try to get away with something."
According to a study conducted in Australia, increased tourism to an area actually reduces vandalism because culprits realize they become increasing visible.
Some of those at the meeting suggested planners consider laws prohibiting guns in the canyon, similar to gun control laws used in national parks.
Interpretive signs, tours, a visitors center, sight glasses and on-site staffing to aid visitors are a few of the suggestions to be considered in formulating the management plan to provide visitors with positive experiences.
"This is actually heritage tourism," said one coalition member. "We want to shape this so that people who want to have a cultural experience will come here. The people who just want to raise heck will go somewhere else."
But to attract visitors the management plan must also consider costly road improvements such as paving and widening the narrow, winding road, plus continuous funding for campgrounds, staff, utilities and upkeep.
BLM officials hope to have the draft management plan ready by the end of May. An environmental impact statement is tentatively scheduled for publication in June to be followed by a 30-day public comment period. The final plan is expected to be ready by the end of September.