I am looking forward to the Methodology section of an upcoming paper on deformation bands adjacent to the Moab Fault...

Christopher Jackson
Statoil Reader in Basin Analysis
Department of Earth Science & Engineering
Imperial College
LONDON
SW7 2BP
UK

On 26 Apr 2012, at 15:21, "Bruce Trudgill" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi Dennis,
> 
> You make a very good point about getting the local community informed. Bartlett Wash is used by many people for recreation purposes, so I do think the BLM could make a better job of providing information (at the trailhead) on sampling/collecting regulations on BLM lands. I will pass on suggestions from this discussion to the BLM office in Moab and hopefully they will take up some of these excellent ideas to help protect these locations.
> 
> Your example (and those provided by others for paleontological and mineralogical collecting sites) still leaves me however, with some worrying thoughts about the Bartlett Wash site.
> 
> 1) I can't believe that anyone sampling deformation bands in this manner was doing this with the intent to make money. I can at least see why people wanting to make a quick buck might illegally collect fossils etc that they know they can sell for a tidy profit, but as far as I know there is no such market for examples of deformation bands....excellent though these are. This leads me to.......
> 
> 2) I still find it difficult to believe that any structural geologist standing on the outcrop below would think "Boy, we're really going to screw this place up......no matter, it's in the name of research!". I do find it hard to believe that a member of the structural geology/tectonics community would be that selfish, uncaring and stupid.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Bruce
> 
> [cid:4EB1F1F1-68CB-4580-91A2-8B25CFDECDF4@Mines.EDU]
> 
> Dr Bruce Trudgill
> Associate Professor
> Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
> Colorado School of Mines
> Golden, Colorado 80401-1887
> USA
> 
> Telephone: (1) 303 273-3883
> 
> FAX: (1) 303 273-3859
> 
> 
> 
> On Apr 26, 2012, at 2:18 AM, Dennis Brown wrote:
> 
> Simon makes a good point here and I will give an example of a place where informing the locals has played a large part in stopping the type of vandalism we are talking about here.
> 
> Mistaken Point, in southern Newfoundland (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vendian/mistaken.html)<http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vendian/mistaken.html)>  is a very famous site for soft-bodied fossils from the end of Precambrian. It has been some years now since I have been there, but I do believe that is is now a UNESCO site. Anyway, shortly after the discovery of this site some 25 years ago or so a lot of fossil collectors visited the site and cut many of the more spectacular examples out using rock saws. Following this, I believe Parks Canada, or Newfoundland Provincial Parks, at the urging of many concerned geologist and paleontologist, put many signs around saying that it was illegal to collect samples there and also informed the local people of the importance of these rare fossils. The last time I went there, about 10 years ago, while filling up my car  at the local gas station very near the site, the gas station attendant asked us if we were going to look at the fossils and told us that we not allowed to collect, gave us a pamphlet saying why, and informed us that the people living in the village nearby or fishing just off shore kept a watch on the site and informed the police of any suspicious activity. Later, after walking out to point and not seeing anything for fog, wind, and rain (just look at the photo on the web page I indicate above) we had a coffee in the local cafe. The owner also went through the story about the fossils, but added that a couple of years before people from the village saw lights moving around the area one night and when they went to investigate, found a group of people working with saws who claimed to be from the Smithsonian Institute. Needless to say, this did help them much when the police arrived and carted them away. Vandalism has thankfully all but stopped at Mistaken Point and this story demonstrates very well how informing the local people can drastically reduce this kind of activity.
> 
> Cheers
> Dennis
> 
> 
> Quoting Simon Kattenhorn:
> 
>> 
>> Preservation of geologic outcrops is an issue that I really wish
>> organizations like GSA would take on. Part of the problem is that
>> local towns often don't realize what geological treasures they have.
>> I used to run field trips to Bonneville Flood deposits in Clarkston,
>> Washington, only to discover one year that the outcrops had been
>> completely bulldozed away for no apparent reason.
>> 
>> As someone who has worked along the Moab fault, and has visited the
>> site described by Bruce, I'm dismayed that any scientist would have
>> such little disregard for outcrop preservation (and this is clearly a
>> sampling consequence by someone studying deformation bands). I
>> certainly do not condone this sort of action in any way (anyone who
>> has walked the trail out at Upheaval Dome in the northern Canyonlands
>> Park nearby has probably also recoiled in  shock at the numerous
>> swiss cheese holes in clastic dikes related to the impact event that
>> someone thoughtlessly removed using a portable core drill, right
>> along the main trail!).
>> 
>> Nonetheless, part of the problem in the region, I think, is the
>> ridiculous number of hoops that the National Park Service now makes
>> anyone jump through to even be allowed to do research within park
>> limits anymore (regardless of whether or not one is sampling). If you
>> are sampling as well (it must be the removal of loose samples - the
>> NPS no longer permits removal of in situ samples in park boundaries),
>> the hoops are even more numerous  - to the point of being
>> unreasonable, I feel. So some researchers may be opting to collect
>> their samples in the regions outside the parks (something I have
>> opted to do in future). Of course, this should not promote abhorrent
>> sampling strategies, but I think people may be taking on the attitude
>> that they can do whatever they want outside the national parks
>> (sadly). Truthfully, I was not aware of the BLM requirements for
>> sample collection, having dealt only with the NPS in the past -
>> Bruce, can you provide a link to where one can find this information
>> on how to deal with permits on BLM land? I also have been digging
>> around on the BLM website and simply cannot find a map that shows the
>> boundaries of lands administered by the BLM (seems like such an
>> obvious link for them to have on their main page). Such information
>> SHOULD be easily accessible if we want to ensure the right rules are
>> being followed outside of NPS boundaries in the region (as well as
>> anywhere else in the US).
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Simon
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Apr 25, 2012, at 12:48 PM, John F. Dewey wrote:
>> 
>>>> PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY ANY RESPONSES TO THIS POST THAT WILL BE
>>>> DIRECTED TO THE WHOLE LIST.
>>>> PERSONAL OR PRIVATE COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Dear Bruce and Colleagues,
>>> 
>>> Such an event is becoming all-too-common world-wide. There are three
>>> obvious reasons for outcrop desecration:
>>> 
>>> 1. Commercial gain by individuals and companies,
>>> Beautiful/rare/perfect minerals, mineral aggregate, fossils, and
>>> rock structures are always at risk. The worst example of this with
>>> which I am familiar is the removal of slabs of wonderfully weathered
>>> and etched slabs of lower Carboniferous fossiliferous carbonates
>>> from Hook Head, Co Wexford, Ireland. This is quite shocking and
>>> inexcusable and should be made illegal; the US has more advanced
>>> laws in this regard than any other nation.
>>> 
>>> 2. The collection of aesthetically-pleasing, beautiful, and teaching
>>> specimens by individuals, departments, and Museums. I suspect that
>>> most of us have done this to some extent (I certainly have) There
>>> are "admirable" reasons for the collecting but little thought given
>>> to the fact that future generations will not have the intellectual
>>> and aesthetic benefit of seeing the great classic outcrops of the
>>> world in their pristine condition.
>>> 
>>> 3. The collection of specimens for valid research reasons. If
>>> geology is to progress, specimens have to be collected for
>>> laboratory analysis. However, classic, beautiful outcrops need not
>>> be wrecked. A particular example is the drilling of the wonderfully
>>> washed and polished rocks of the Komati river section in the
>>> Barberton Mountain Land in South Africa. Another is the drilling of
>>> the KT boundary section in Woodside Creek in the Seaward Kaikouras
>>> in the South Island of New Zealand. Te perpetrators of these
>>> drillings are known. Generally, adjacent outcrops can be sampled
>>> even with rock saws and drills and satisfactory samples can be
>>> collected. Commonly, people want the quick, easy, lazy, and dirty
>>> solution, and attack the best, most easily-accessible and exposed
>>> outcrops.
>>> 
>>> Collecting should be discouraged by Societies, and University
>>> geology departments. The GSA should put out a directive.Most of it
>>> is unnecessary. Knocking off a bit of rock, and collecting the odd
>>> fossil or mineral is, perhaps , acceptable provided that classic
>>> outcrops are not ruined but the use of a rock saw or rock drill on
>>> "top" outcrops is unacceptable and must, somehow, be banned.
>>> Exposure of perpetrators, expulsion from professional societies and
>>> organizations, and massive fines are minimal "solutions". The rock
>>> saw vandalism of  the Bartlett Wash deformation bands is  surely by
>>> someone or a group doing research on deformation bands; he, she, or
>>> they should not be too hard to trace. The Federal and State
>>> Authorities should pursue this vigorously and prosecute to the full
>>> extent of Federal and State Law. The geological profession needs to
>>> be vigilant in preventing, reporting, and exposing outcrop vandalism.
>>> 
>>> Best wishes,
>>> John Dewey
>>> 
>>>> Colleagues,
>>>> 
>>>> On a field trip to Bartlett Wash north of Moab, SE Utah last week I
>>>> came across a particularly sad case of geo-vandalism.
>>>> 
>>>> The exact location of the affected outcrop is:  38° 43' 00.09" N
>>>> 109° 47' 17.85" W. Many of you may have visited this spectacular
>>>> location on university or industry field trips, or for your own
>>>> research purposes. The location of the exposure is on a splay off
>>>> the main Moab Fault, and it illustrates many aspects of brittle
>>>> deformation and fluid flow, as well as some un-paralled exposures
>>>> of aeolian dune sets in the Slickrock member of the Entrada
>>>> Formation. It's a truly world-class field location and has been
>>>> used in a number of publications and texts, including the following
>>>> figure in Haakon Fossen's structural geology textbook.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Figure 8.11 in Structural Geology by Haakon Fossen (Cambridge
>>>> University Press)
>>>> 
>>>> One of the key aspects of this location is the 100% exposure of
>>>> deformation bands in the footwall of the fault and their
>>>> relationship to fluid flow. Students can measure and plot
>>>> deformation band density in the footwall of the fault and it's a
>>>> great location to discuss their influence of fluid migration.
>>>> Anyway, this (formally) pristine outcrop is now missing a few of
>>>> the deformation bands in Haakon's photo due to some mindless
>>>> geo-vandalism (see below)
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Photo taken by Roy Luck on September 29th 2011.......note the rock
>>>> powder spread around the outcrop showing evidence of very recent
>>>> cutting
>>>> 
>>>> I really hope this geo-vandalism wasn't undertaken by a geological
>>>> research group, but I'm finding it hard to think why anyone else
>>>> who would go to the effort of lugging a rock saw up on to the
>>>> outcrop in order to remove samples of deformation bands from this
>>>> fantastic location.
>>>> 
>>>> I've discovered that the damage to this outcrop was first reported
>>>> to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management......the Federal Gov agency
>>>> that has responsibility for the Bartlett Wash recreation area) on
>>>> September 29th 2011 by a group visiting the location on a field
>>>> trip.
>>>> 
>>>> As chance would have it, I can tie down the date that this
>>>> geo-vandalism occurred to a 3 day window (Sept 26th, 27th or 28th
>>>> 2011)......here's a photograph of the same outcrop at 520pm on
>>>> September 25th 2011, when I was at Bartlett Wash with a field class.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Me, rabbiting on about faults and deformation bands 523pm Sept 25th
>>>> 2011. Pristine outcrop behind me with location of geo-vadalism
>>>> shown by red circle.
>>>> 
>>>> Using a rocksaw to extract samples from BLM lands is illegal under
>>>> federal law (sampling of an intact rock body requires a permit).
>>>> The BLM office in Moab did not approve of any permits for sampling
>>>> at Bartlett Wash (nor, they assure me, would they have done) and
>>>> once informed of the damage notified the law enforcement agencies
>>>> in Moab about this criminal act. Beyond being a crime however, this
>>>> wanton vandalism of such a stunning outcrop is utterly mid-boggling
>>>> to me. Again, I don't know who did this, I don't know that it was a
>>>> geologist, but again I'm struggling to think who else would go to
>>>> the effort of extracting deformations bands from an outcrop in such
>>>> a manner.
>>>> 
>>>> So, what to do?
>>>> 
>>>> I'm sure many of you have seen examples of such outcrop desecration
>>>> in other areas and on some of your favourite locations. I know for
>>>> example that this has been a problem in the UK and the Geol Soc has
>>>> an active campaign to stop it.
>>>> 
>>>> We know that this particular act of geo-vandalism took place on
>>>> either September 26, 27 or 28th 2011.
>>>> 
>>>> If you have any information on who may have committed this crime
>>>> you can contact me at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, or contact the BLM office
>>>> in Moab directly. The geologist there is Becky Doolittle
>>>> ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>).....she will pass on any information to the law
>>>> enforcement agencies.
>>>> 
>>>> Many thanks
>>>> 
>>>> Bruce
>>>> 
>>>> PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY ANY RESPONSES TO THIS POST THAT WILL BE
>>>> DIRECTED TO THE WHOLE LIST.
>>>> PERSONAL OR PRIVATE COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>>> 
>>>> Dr Bruce Trudgill
>>>> Associate Professor
>>>> Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
>>>> Colorado School of Mines
>>>> Golden, Colorado 80401-1887
>>>> USA
>>>> 
>>>> Telephone: (1) 303 273-3883
>>>> 
>>>> FAX: (1) 303 273-3859
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Dr Bruce Trudgill
>>>> Associate Professor
>>>> Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
>>>> Colorado School of Mines
>>>> Golden, Colorado 80401-1887
>>>> USA
>>>> 
>>>> Telephone: (1) 303 273-3883
>>>> 
>>>> FAX: (1) 303 273-3859
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY ANY RESPONSES TO THIS POST THAT WILL BE
>>>> DIRECTED TO THE WHOLE LIST.
>>>> PERSONAL OR PRIVATE COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>>> 
>>>> Colleagues,
>>>> 
>>>> On a field trip to Bartlett Wash north of Moab, SE Utah last week I
>>>> came across a particularly sad case of geo-vandalism.
>>>> 
>>>> The exact location of the affected outcrop is:  38° 43' 00.09" N
>>>> 109° 47' 17.85" W. Many of you may have visited this spectacular
>>>> location on university or industry field trips, or for your own
>>>> research purposes. The location of the exposure is on a splay off
>>>> the main Moab Fault, and it illustrates many aspects of brittle
>>>> deformation and fluid flow, as well as some un-paralled exposures
>>>> of aeolian dune sets in the Slickrock member of the Entrada
>>>> Formation. It's a truly world-class field location and has been
>>>> used in a number of publications and texts, including the following
>>>> figure in Haakon Fossen's structural geology textbook.
>>>> 
>>>> <Fossen photo_new 1.jpg>
>>>> 
>>>> Figure 8.11 in Structural Geology by Haakon Fossen (Cambridge
>>>> University Press)
>>>> 
>>>> One of the key aspects of this location is the 100% exposure of
>>>> deformation bands in the footwall of the fault and their
>>>> relationship to fluid flow. Students can measure and plot
>>>> deformation band density in the footwall of the fault and it's a
>>>> great location to discuss their influence of fluid migration.
>>>> Anyway, this (formally) pristine outcrop is now missing a few of
>>>> the deformation bands in Haakon's photo due to some mindless
>>>> geo-vandalism (see below)
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> <29thSept 2011_new 1.jpg>
>>>> 
>>>> Photo taken by Roy Luck on September 29th 2011.......note the rock
>>>> powder spread around the outcrop showing evidence of very recent
>>>> cutting
>>>> 
>>>> I really hope this geo-vandalism wasn't undertaken by a geological
>>>> research group, but I'm finding it hard to think why anyone else
>>>> who would go to the effort of lugging a rock saw up on to the
>>>> outcrop in order to remove samples of deformation bands from this
>>>> fantastic location.
>>>> 
>>>> I've discovered that the damage to this outcrop was first reported
>>>> to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management......the Federal Gov agency
>>>> that has responsibility for the Bartlett Wash recreation area) on
>>>> September 29th 2011 by a group visiting the location on a field
>>>> trip.
>>>> 
>>>> As chance would have it, I can tie down the date that this
>>>> geo-vandalism occurred to a 3 day window (Sept 26th, 27th or 28th
>>>> 2011)......here's a photograph of the same outcrop at 520pm on
>>>> September 25th 2011, when I was at Bartlett Wash with a field class.
>>>> 
>>>> <2011_09_25 17.23_bdt 1.jpg>
>>>> 
>>>> Me, rabbiting on about faults and deformation bands 523pm Sept 25th
>>>> 2011. Pristine outcrop behind me with location of geo-vadalism
>>>> shown by red circle.
>>>> 
>>>> Using a rocksaw to extract samples from BLM lands is illegal under
>>>> federal law (sampling of an intact rock body requires a permit).
>>>> The BLM office in Moab did not approve of any permits for sampling
>>>> at Bartlett Wash (nor, they assure me, would they have done) and
>>>> once informed of the damage notified the law enforcement agencies
>>>> in Moab about this criminal act. Beyond being a crime however, this
>>>> wanton vandalism of such a stunning outcrop is utterly mid-boggling
>>>> to me. Again, I don't know who did this, I don't know that it was a
>>>> geologist, but again I'm struggling to think who else would go to
>>>> the effort of extracting deformations bands from an outcrop in such
>>>> a manner.
>>>> 
>>>> So, what to do?
>>>> 
>>>> I'm sure many of you have seen examples of such outcrop desecration
>>>> in other areas and on some of your favourite locations. I know for
>>>> example that this has been a problem in the UK and the Geol Soc has
>>>> an active campaign to stop it.
>>>> 
>>>> We know that this particular act of geo-vandalism took place on
>>>> either September 26, 27 or 28th 2011.
>>>> 
>>>> If you have any information on who may have committed this crime
>>>> you can contact me at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, or contact the BLM office
>>>> in Moab directly. The geologist there is Becky Doolittle
>>>> ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>).....she will pass on any information to the law
>>>> enforcement agencies.
>>>> 
>>>> Many thanks
>>>> 
>>>> Bruce
>>>> 
>>>> PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY ANY RESPONSES TO THIS POST THAT WILL BE
>>>> DIRECTED TO THE WHOLE LIST.
>>>> PERSONAL OR PRIVATE COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>>> 
>>>> Dr Bruce Trudgill
>>>> Associate Professor
>>>> Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
>>>> Colorado School of Mines
>>>> Golden, Colorado 80401-1887
>>>> USA
>>>> 
>>>> Telephone: (1) 303 273-3883
>>>> 
>>>> FAX: (1) 303 273-3859
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Dr Bruce Trudgill
>>>> Associate Professor
>>>> Department of Geology and Geological Engineering
>>>> Colorado School of Mines
>>>> Golden, Colorado 80401-1887
>>>> USA
>>>> 
>>>> Telephone: (1) 303 273-3883
>>>> 
>>>> FAX: (1) 303 273-3859
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Please note that my email address has changed to: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>> 
>>> Prof. John F. Dewey FRS, M.R.I.A., FAA, Mem. Acad. Eur., Mem.
>>> US Nat. Acad. Sci., Distinguished Emeritus Professor University of
>>> California, Emeritus Professor and Supernumerary Fellow, University
>>> College Oxford.
>>> 
>>> Sherwood Lodge,
>>> 93 Bagley Wood Road,
>>> Kennington,
>>> Oxford OX1 5NA,
>>> England, UK
>>> 
>>> University College,
>>> High Street,
>>> Oxford OX1 4BH
>>> 
>>> Telephone Nos:
>>> 011 44 (0)1865 735525 (home Oxford)
>>> 011 44 (0)1865 276792 (University College Oxford)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ..............................................................
>> Simon Kattenhorn
>> Professor of Geology
>> 
>> Dept. of Geological Sciences
>> University of Idaho
>> P.O. Box 443022
>> Moscow, ID 83844-3022
>> 
>> Office: McClure 303B
>> Ph.: (208) 885-5063 (office)
>> FAX: (208) 885-5724
>> http://www.uidaho.edu/~simkat
>> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> ...............................................................
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> Dr. Dennis Brown
> Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra "Jaume Almera"
> c/Lluis Sole i Sabaris s/n
> 08028 Barcelona
> Spain
> Tel: (34) 934095410
> 
> <bdt Bartlett_09_25_2011.jpeg>