The Rock Art Association spoke at the Emery County Public Lands Council January meeting. The group told of the Molen Reef and the many rock art sites there. The rock art association is in the process of documenting the rock art sites in the Molen Reef Area. They are preparing a map which denotes the location of the sites.
Diane Orr said she believes the people in Emery County are connected to the land and want to preserve their pioneer history as well as the history of those who inhabited the area in the past. Emery County has a long rich human history.
The URARA has 300 members committed to the rock art in Utah. She plans to partner with the BLM and other groups. She has found much support from ranchers and permittees who are enthusiastic and supportive of documenting the rock art on their land as well as their permit areas.
Jonathan Bailey is a rock art enthusiast and a photographer. He has a Ute basket which he found near Consol Mine in 2007 on display at the Museum of the San Rafael. It’s known as the Bailey Basket. Bailey became concerned when the Bureau of Land Management offered leases in the Molen Reef area. The leases have been deferred, and Ahmed Mohsen from the BLM said all these areas are being reviewed before any would be offered again.
Bailey has been in the Molen Reef area exploring for years and documenting and recording GPS locations for sites he discovers as well as other more known sites.
The rock art association is concerned what industrial development might do to the rock art sites.
Orr said one issue they have is the lack of proper documentation of all that is in the area and they are working on inventories. It’s estimated the Price BLM only has 8 percent of historical rock art sites documented. They do have small areas AC/EC documented in the region. Resources are tight for the BLM but they identified some areas.
Orr said they took Jon’s map and pictures to the BLM director of Utah, Juan Palma and he said he would consider the new information. Molen Reef is a world class area for rock art. Palma agreed they need to know more before the area is leased. Orr said there are several capped wells that didn’t produce well there in earlier years and she believes it isn’t a prime spot for oil and gas development. Bailey has located numerous rock art sites and multiple panels and dino tracks and bones. Several of these sites might be eligible to be listed as National Historic Sites.
Human inhabitants there have included: Fremont cultures, modern tribal nations as well as pioneer and cowboy inhabitants. Scientists would find information from this area very helpful as they research ancient cultures.
Orr is concerned in the BLM resource management plan the area is open to oil and gas leasing. The public lands council also lists the area as being an area where oil and gas development could occur.
Orr suggested the Molen Reef area be considered for a Heritage Site or a National Conservation area. Fences to protect the rock art could be installed. Grazing would be an allowable use in the area as well as the current BLM travel plan. ATV use is OK also. Orr thinks directing visitors to look at the rock art in a managed area would be the way to go to allow visitation without overuse or destruction of the sites. One such area developed with the BLM is the snake site on the Moore Cut-off road. This site has a parking area and a walking trail to the rock art sites.
Bailey has been visiting the area since he was 7 years old and has a very extensive photo record of the area.
Bailey said he’s concerned there isn’t a proper understanding of what’s really out there and how fragile some of the sites are. There are dino tracks and a monarch butterfly pictograph. He believes this area should be studied. There is evidence of the Spanish Trail out there too. Bailey has prepared a pamphlet on the Molen Reef area. “It would be a tragedy to lose this,” said Bailey.
Ed Geary, public lands chairman said he believes there is more rock art in the Molen Reef than Nine Mile Canyon. It is more spread out and shows more diversity of culture than Nine Mile.
Orr said they have been very careful with the information they have about the Molen Reef area. They don’t want a flood of people coming to the area because of its sensitivity. She thinks visitation should be managed.
Sherrel Ward, lands council member wondered if there is a proposed lease there now. Orr said with Rep. Bishop and Rep. Chaffetz land bill they are interested in resolution for public lands. She would like a National Conservation Area there.
Mohsen from the BLM said there were 33,000 proposed acres there that have been deferred until further notice, until inventories can be done.
Orr said rock art is difficult to protect.
Geary said this is really a legislative issue which will take time to address. He is familiar with many of the sites in the area, but not all. He thinks a NCA could figure prominently for the area.
Ray Petersen, public lands director said Emery County did the work for the Snake Site. There needs to be education to stop the vandalism that rock art sites seem to always experience. Sites should be selected to develop and guide visitors to. The lands council will stay informed and active on what’s going on in the Molen
Reef area. Petersen said, “Emery County doesn’t propose special designation for the Molen Reef area.
“We support current management outlined by the 2008 Resource Management Plan, which allows the area to be offered for lease. But the RMP also designated several Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) that specifically protect rock art. The resource is also protected by the Antiquities Act. So even should the area be leased, there are already laws in place that protect the archaeological resource.
“In response to a proposal to designate the area as an NCA, Emery County has been consistent in choosing not to eliminate one resource use at the expense of another. So, its doubtful that Emery County could support designating the entire 33,000 acres that was deferred as NCA. A significantly smaller corridor that protectes the rock art but allowed oil and gas leasing would probably make a lot more sense and might be worth considering,” said Petersen
What can be done to protect the Molen Reef area?
"Jonathan Bailey took this picture of the rock art in the Molen Reef area."