Help Preserve America's Heritage With Passport In Time!

One of Leave No Trace's seven principles is to "Leave What You Find," which not only applies to natural objects, but cultural resources too. If you're looking for a way to help record and preserve the traces that people left in the past (they didn't know about Leave No Trace back then!), take a look at some of the volunteer programs that the Forest Service and other public lands agencies offer through Passport In Time. As a Passport In Time (PIT) volunteer you can participate in a number of archaeological activities, including excavation, survey, rock art restoration, and ethnography. Volunteer projects are offered across the country and usually last no more than a week.

Last week I was able to participate in a PIT project in Southeastern Colorado in the Picketwire Canyonlands, part of the Comanche National Grasslands. Known for its ancient dinosaur tracks, fascinating rock art, and beautiful scenery, Picketwire Canyonlands was a great place to spend a week surveying archaeological sites. Some of the most interesting cultural resources we recorded included Stone Age tools, petroglyphs, and a homestead and two mines probably dating to the early 20th century.

Passport In Time is a great program, so be sure to take a look at some of the projects they are offering this summer. And while you're out exploring, remember that we don't want archaeologists finding your Clif Bar wrappers a hundred years from now, so enjoy and respect nature by leaving no trace!