Volunteers with the Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance offers tours of sites in Canyons of the Ancients, provides educational programming for youth, and monitors sites throughout the area.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO OFFERTOURS AND HIKES ON CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL MONUMENT. YOU'LLLEARN SO MUCH MORE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU WHO UNDERSTANDS THEDEEP HISTORY, THE GEOLOGY, THE PLANT, AND ANIMAL LIFE. WE WILLDEFINITELY TAILOR A TOUR TO FIT YOUR NEEDS. AND THE FAMILY TOURS AREREALLY GEARED TOWARD THOSE KIDS WHO ARE ABOUT FIVE TO 13 AND THEIRFAMILIES, BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE SOME HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES. THEY'LLLEARN HOW TO THROW A SPEAR WITH AN ATLATL, HAVE A VARIETY OF THINGSTHAT WE DO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BLM AND, CANYONS, THE ANCIENTS. WEPROVIDE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AT THE MUSEUM AND ON THEMONUMENT. SO EVERY YEAR WE SEE UPWARDS OF 2,000 SCHOOL KIDS, WHO COMETO EITHER THE MUSEUM OR OUT ON THE MONUMENT AND WE PROVIDEEDUCATIONAL HERITAGE EDUCATION, OUTDOOR EDUCATION, THAT TYPE OFTHING.
ANOTHER PROGRAM IS OUR CULTURAL SITE STEWARDSHIPPROGRAM. WE HAVE 105 SITES, NOT JUST IN CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS, BUTACROSS THE TRES RIOS BLM AREA, 105 CULTURAL SITES THAT ARE BEINGMONITORED BY 65 VOLUNTEERS. AND THEY GO OUT AND MONITOR THESE SITESAND THEY LOOK FOR DAMAGE DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES LIKE EROSION ORINTENTIONAL CAUSES. CULTURE HAS GONE ON FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS INTHIS AREA. AND THERE'S JUST REALLY NO PLACE LIKE IT. THERE'S JUST NOPLACE LIKE IT. IT'S THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF CULTURAL SITES IN ALL OFNORTH AMERICA. AND WE'RE RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND WE'RECONTINUING AND IT'S, IT MAY BE DIFFERENT CULTURES OVER TIME, BUTWE'RE CONTINUING. THE STORY CONTINUES, AND WE'RE ALL A PART OF IT.
