Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 5, 2011 11:01:16 GMT -5
I just pulled this from my rock club's newsletter:
HELP SAVE
ROCKHOUND STATE PARK
From: Deming Gem and Mineral Club
Attention all Rockhounds! Rock Collector Call
to Action: Per an article in the Friday, March 18th, 2011
Deming Headlight, the New Mexico State Parks Division
(NMSPD) has proposed to disallow rockhounding in
Rockhound State Park near Deming, New Mexico.
Rockhound State Park was originally established as
a destination for rock collectors and was the first in the
United States that allowed collecting of rocks and minerals
for personal use. At the time, in 1966, rock collecting
was a popular pastime. Visitors were encouraged to visit
the Park in order to collect rocks, and were allowed to
take home up to 15 pounds of rocks. The 1,100-acre
Park is best known for its fantastic thundereggs, some
with multicolored agate in addition to well-formed quartz
crystals. Also scattered about the park are rocks and
minerals of volcanic and hydrothermal origin; including
quartz, chalcedony, agate, common opal and banded and
brecciated rhyolite.
The proposed plan may be read at the following web
site:
www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/documents/
RockhoundPMPPublicReviewDraftMarch2011.pdf
Some excerpts form the proposed plan:
Today the Division promotes a respect for the natural
environment through interpretive and educational programs.
Not only does rock collecting in a public park contradict the
principle of natural resource protection.
The practice of rock collecting at the Park would need to
comply with NMSA 1978, Section 16-2-32: “A person who
commits any of the following acts is guilty of a petty
misdemeanor and shall be sentenced in accordance with
the provisions of Section 31-19-1 NMSA 1978”
If the Division were to continue to allow the public to
collect rocks at the Park, the EMNRD Cabinet Secretary
would designate a specific area and adopt rules pertaining
to the collecting of rocks on Park property (such as the
amount and location).
The once popular hobby of rock collecting has declined
significantly since the 1960s. There are local businesses
that cater to rock collectors and can guide or direct them to
similar opportunities outside of the Park. Safety is also a
concern with the public collecting rocks in the Park, as there
are steep and unstable slopes that are becoming more
hazardous as the collecting alters the stability of the hillside.
There is also a concern that some visitors may go beyond
the Park boundaries in their quest for rocks.
Park staff has already begun the transition away from
rock collecting and will need to educate the public about the
need to respect the natural resources. All materials need to
state that it is a prohibited activity.
Revise written materials by removing all mention of rock
collecting and add a reference to the state statute, which
prohibits rock collecting on Park property.
You can help stop this. Please write or email the
state and express your opposition to the proposed plan
to discontinue rockhounding in Rockhound State Park. If
this is important to you, there are several ways to let
your voice be heard. Written and oral comments on the
plan will be accepted. Comment letters can be dropped
off at the park; mailed to PO Box 1147, Santa Fe, NM
87505; e-mailed to nmparks@state.nm.us or faxed to (505)
476-3361. You have until April 18, 2011 to make comment,
so please get on it today. Let’s show the NMSPD
personnel that rockhounding has not declined since the
1960s and the Park should remain true to its namesake.
HELP SAVE
ROCKHOUND STATE PARK
From: Deming Gem and Mineral Club
Attention all Rockhounds! Rock Collector Call
to Action: Per an article in the Friday, March 18th, 2011
Deming Headlight, the New Mexico State Parks Division
(NMSPD) has proposed to disallow rockhounding in
Rockhound State Park near Deming, New Mexico.
Rockhound State Park was originally established as
a destination for rock collectors and was the first in the
United States that allowed collecting of rocks and minerals
for personal use. At the time, in 1966, rock collecting
was a popular pastime. Visitors were encouraged to visit
the Park in order to collect rocks, and were allowed to
take home up to 15 pounds of rocks. The 1,100-acre
Park is best known for its fantastic thundereggs, some
with multicolored agate in addition to well-formed quartz
crystals. Also scattered about the park are rocks and
minerals of volcanic and hydrothermal origin; including
quartz, chalcedony, agate, common opal and banded and
brecciated rhyolite.
The proposed plan may be read at the following web
site:
www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/documents/
RockhoundPMPPublicReviewDraftMarch2011.pdf
Some excerpts form the proposed plan:
Today the Division promotes a respect for the natural
environment through interpretive and educational programs.
Not only does rock collecting in a public park contradict the
principle of natural resource protection.
The practice of rock collecting at the Park would need to
comply with NMSA 1978, Section 16-2-32: “A person who
commits any of the following acts is guilty of a petty
misdemeanor and shall be sentenced in accordance with
the provisions of Section 31-19-1 NMSA 1978”
If the Division were to continue to allow the public to
collect rocks at the Park, the EMNRD Cabinet Secretary
would designate a specific area and adopt rules pertaining
to the collecting of rocks on Park property (such as the
amount and location).
The once popular hobby of rock collecting has declined
significantly since the 1960s. There are local businesses
that cater to rock collectors and can guide or direct them to
similar opportunities outside of the Park. Safety is also a
concern with the public collecting rocks in the Park, as there
are steep and unstable slopes that are becoming more
hazardous as the collecting alters the stability of the hillside.
There is also a concern that some visitors may go beyond
the Park boundaries in their quest for rocks.
Park staff has already begun the transition away from
rock collecting and will need to educate the public about the
need to respect the natural resources. All materials need to
state that it is a prohibited activity.
Revise written materials by removing all mention of rock
collecting and add a reference to the state statute, which
prohibits rock collecting on Park property.
You can help stop this. Please write or email the
state and express your opposition to the proposed plan
to discontinue rockhounding in Rockhound State Park. If
this is important to you, there are several ways to let
your voice be heard. Written and oral comments on the
plan will be accepted. Comment letters can be dropped
off at the park; mailed to PO Box 1147, Santa Fe, NM
87505; e-mailed to nmparks@state.nm.us or faxed to (505)
476-3361. You have until April 18, 2011 to make comment,
so please get on it today. Let’s show the NMSPD
personnel that rockhounding has not declined since the
1960s and the Park should remain true to its namesake.
