Nevadans for Cultural Preservation

February 2026

The Bureau of Land Management and the Friends of Avi Kwa Ame recently hosted their first-ever Junior Ranger Day at Walking Box Ranch in Searchlight, Nevada — and it was a fantastic celebration of public lands and hands-on learning.

The event featured interactive stations staffed by a variety of “-ologists,” giving visitors the chance to explore everything from archaeology to ecology and learn how to responsibly enjoy and protect our shared landscapes. Nevadans for Cultural Preservation brought out a mano and metate along with other artifacts to demonstrate the importance of archaeological context and why artifacts should always be left where they are found.

Guests also enjoyed guided tours of the historic Walking Box Ranch, adding a rich layer of local history to the day’s activities.

Interested in future events at Avi Kwa Ame National Monument? Be sure to check out the events hosted by the Friends of Avi Kwa Ame to stay connected and get involved!

Photo is of the NVFCP booth. Jr. Rangers come in all ages!

February 2026

Southern Nevada Gem & Mineral Society invited NVFCP to talk at their February meeting. These rockhounds spend ample time in the Nevada backcountry and run across cultural sites like old mining buildings and Native American petroglyph sites. We are honored they invited us to share preservation information with their members. 

​The purpose of the Southern Nevada Gem & Mineral Society is to promote interest and education in the various earth sciences, mineralogy, gemology, and to foster the exchange of knowledge in the lapidary arts. They are a non-profit, community service organization. They also have a Lapidary and Education Center in Las Vegas where they have a shop and hold most of their classes and some events such as rock swaps.

January 2026

Speaker Series presentation by Isabelle Guerrero

The Nevada Archaeological Association (NAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of Nevada’s antiquities. The NAA preserves Nevada’s antiquities, encourages the study of archaeology and educates the public to the aims of archaeological research. The NAA promotes common professional and avocational interests of NAA members furthers its purposes through non-profit activities including, but not limited to, education, training, meetings, workshops, publications and other relevant activities.

In this talk Isabelle shared information about some of the past NAA meetings, and revealed details about the upcoming 2026 Annual NAA Membership meeting in Mesquite, NV. It was clear that Annual Membership meetings always offer exciting field trips and incredible workshops.

She explained that one of the more recent focuses of the NAA has been support of University student researchers; and shared some details on the amazing past and ongoing student projects funded through the NAA.

Finally, she introduced the phenomenal research coming out through their Nevada Archaeologist publication.

To watch a video of the talk on our YouTube Channel click here.

December 2025

Record high temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s made for an unexpectedly pleasant December day as volunteers headed out to Little Red Rock for a major cleanup effort. Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, volunteers relocated and removed large trash from bushes, washes, and crevasses throughout the area.

We are happy to report that most of the trash and dumping encountered was left by past visitors—not historic material (over 50 years old) and, importantly, nothing dumped too recently. This is encouraging news and suggests that recent stewardship and monitoring efforts are making a real difference.

Ten dedicated volunteers spent their Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. hauling out truckloads of debris, including mattress springs, car parts, plywood, and other miscellaneous trash. Thanks to their hard work, these large-scale cleanup efforts shouldn’t need to be repeated anytime soon.

That said, there is still important work ahead. Smaller debris—such as broken glass, shell casings, clay pigeons, and windblown bags, cans, and bottles—remains scattered across the landscape and will require continued care and attention.

If you’re interested in helping, keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities. Our next Stewardship Sunday outing should be posted soon, and we would love to have you join us in protecting this important cultural area.

December 2025

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, NVFCP was proud to host a volunteer appreciation event at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve to recognize the incredible dedication of our volunteers. With generous support from Howard Hughes, guests enjoyed lunch together in one of the Preserve’s outstanding meeting spaces while reflecting on a year of meaningful impact.

During the event, volunteers learned about the remarkable efforts made in 2025 at the area known as Little Red Rock. Over the course of 24 outings, 43 volunteers contributed a total of 303 hours toward protecting this important landscape. Their work included removing old trash, testing an online reporting system, and scouting red sandstone outcrops to identify areas experiencing high activity, illegal dumping, and/or vandalism.

These efforts build on a strong foundation of stewardship. Since 2022, when NVFCP began assisting with the preservation and restoration of Little Red Rock, volunteers have donated an impressive 1,231 hours to caring for this culturally significant area. Their commitment plays a vital role in safeguarding the site for future generations.

The afternoon concluded with a special guided tour of Nuwu Pahsats led by archaeologist Nathan Harper. Nuwu Pahsats—the Nuwuvi term for “The People’s Garden”—is an outdoor education space that highlights sustainable relationships with water, plants, and the landscape, rooted in the traditional lifeways of the resilient Native peoples of Southern Nevada.

We are deeply grateful to our volunteers and partners for their time, energy, and passion. Events like this remind us that preservation is a shared effort, made possible by a community that truly cares.

December 2025

NVFCP was honored to serve as a guest lecturer for ART 478/678: Great Basin Art and Artifacts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The course, taught by Hikmet Sidney Loe, explores the rich artistic and cultural traditions of the Great Basin through an interdisciplinary lens.

Our Executive Director, Rayette Martin—also a proud UNLV alum—led the lecture and shared insights on the importance of preserving cultural resources in context. She discussed the many challenges associated with cultural preservation, including human impacts like graffiti and looting.

Students were highly engaged throughout the class, asking thoughtful questions and connecting the discussion to concepts they had been learning all semester. The dialogue highlighted how art, archaeology, and cultural heritage are deeply interconnected, particularly in the study of the Great Basin.

This course serves as an excellent bridge between the arts and archaeology, fostering collaboration and shared understanding across disciplines. We are excited to hear that ART 478/678 will likely be offered again and are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such an impactful learning experience.

NVFCP appreciates the invitation to participate and looks forward to continued partnerships that support education, preservation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

November 2025

On a beautiful Sunday morning, volunteers from the Dunes and Trails UTV Club joined NVFCP in the field to install 10 new educational signs aimed at protecting sensitive archaeological sites. Their support was invaluable—not only could their UTVs reach areas that a standard work truck simply couldn’t, but they also came equipped with an electric jackhammer and generator. Thanks to their tools (and enthusiasm), we saved our backs and shoulders and were able to set the signs deeply and securely for long-term durability.

After several productive hours of hauling equipment, digging holes, and setting signs, the team enjoyed a well-earned break by exploring part of a soon-to-be-designated off-road trail within the BLM Red Rock National Conservation Area. The route offered a mix of fun and occasionally challenging segments, all surrounded by the stunning scenery that makes the Red Rock NCA such a special place.

It was a fantastic day of stewardship, adventure, and partnership. Huge thanks to our UTV friends for their commitment to protecting Nevada’s cultural resources!

November 2025

Presentation by Dr. Samantha Rubinson - Nevada State Historic Preservation Office/Nevada Site Stewardship Program Coordinator

The Nevada Site Stewardship Program has been stewarding archaeological sites throughout Nevada for close to 20 years. This work has created a unique archive of site condition data that can elucidate the major causes of site change and damage over time statewide. An analysis of the stewardship data from 2014-2024 investigated trends related to climate change, recreational damage, and deliberate human impacts on sites. These trends were examined on state-wide, regional (Field Office and Ranger District), and individual site levels. This presentation will focus on the results of this study, the implications for land managers, and recommendations for future preservation.

Watch a recording of Dr. Rubinson's presentation on our YouTube Channel here. 

Check out NVFCP's activity and special projects pages to see what we have been doing to help land managers protect and preserve their archaeological and historic sites. 

November 2025

In mid-November, NVFCP Executive Director Rayette Martin headed north to the White River Narrows Archaeological District to meet with rock art specialist Dr. Jannie Loubser of Stratum Unlimited. Supported by a Lincoln County Archaeological Initiative Grant, the team spent a full week in the field documenting cultural features and carefully camouflaging incised graffiti at both petroglyph and pictograph sites.

What struck everyone on the project—yet again—is how quickly damage can be done, and how slowly it can be repaired. A moment of poor judgment, a few scratches made to “leave a mark,” can take hours of skilled labor by trained specialists to minimize. And even then, the truth remains: vandalism to rock art can never be fully undone. These marks are not just eyesores; they permanently alter irreplaceable cultural records.

Despite the challenges, there is good news. Stratum Unlimited and NVFCP are in the process of updating all existing site records within the district and documenting several new sites recently identified. Their work is helping build a clearer, more comprehensive picture of the area’s deep cultural history.

White River Narrows is a remarkable landscape, and one that is thoughtfully interpreted for public visitation. If you’d like to learn more about the area and its significance, you can explore additional information through the Basin and Range National Monument website here .

Together, through stewardship, education, and respect, we can help ensure that these extraordinary cultural resources remain protected for generations to come.

October 2025

Our RSVP list for October’s Sunday Stewardship at Little Red Rock filled up months in advance. 

Girl Scout Troop Leader Jennifer swooped in early and reserved most of the spots for her troop of enthusiastic scouts and their parents—and thank goodness she did. When cleanup day rolled around, eight powerhouse Girl Scouts and five equally awesome adults showed up, ready to roll up their sleeves and take on everything the desert threw their way (spoiler: it threw a lot).

These stewards-in-the-making tackled:

• Trash tangled in desert vegetation 

• Glittering shards of broken glass 

• Buckets of rusty nails and metal debris from illegal fires 

• Even scratched graffiti inside a beautiful sandstone rock shelter  (gently swabbed away with care, of course)

To be honest, NVFCP had a few nerves at the start. We don’t usually bring younger volunteers into areas with sharp metal, glass, and those oh-so-tempting red rock cliffs that practically beg to be climbed. But those worries quickly melted away when we met this crew. Not only were the Girl Scouts respectful, focused, and curious—they were also supported by a group of incredibly hands-on, engaged adults who worked side-by-side with them throughout the day.

Together, this dream team donated 52 hours of service in just one afternoon. That’s fifty-two hours of conservation, community, and connection to the land.

Even more impressive? These young stewards didn’t just clean up—they learned.
They soaked up knowledge about:

• Respectful visitation to cultural sites

• Why places like Little Red Rock still hold deep significance for Native communities today

• And how one single bottle can become a thousand tiny glass pieces scattered across the landscape

We walked away from the day inspired, grateful, and honestly a little in awe.