[meteorite-list] Recovery of meteorites from National Parks?

From: Keith <littlejo_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:03 2004
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.33.0210211332510.21229-100000_at_katie.vnet.net>

OnMon, 21 Oct 2002 06:45:26 -0700
Tom Mahood tmahood_at_cox.net wrote:

>Greetings all:

...text deleted....

>But now that I've been educated and illuminated,
>I have an honest-to-God question. I am a
>somewhat new collector, and as much as I enjoy
>"discovering" meteorites in my mailbox, I realize
>it's much more sporting to hunt the buggers down
>in the wild. My range of access is the SW US, a
>veritable sea of wild and crazy BLM land. However
>within that area are also a number of sizeable
>chunks of desert land designated as National Parks.
>
>Anyone have any thoughts on the ramifications of
>"recovering" meteorites from National Park
>property?

Collecting anything, whether it be either fossils,
plants, rocks, minerals, or meteorites from
National Parks or Monuments is illegal. Also,
there are rules and limitations about collecting
on other public lands. For example, on BLM land,
the collecting of rocks and minerals is legal for
noncommercial purposes without a permit, but can
be illegal within parts of BLM land that are
designated as Natural Resource Areas and other
areas closed or restricted areas set aside for
various research and preservation purposes. For
state and other federal lands, a person needs
needs to contact whatever agency is managing
the land.

some information can be found at:

Rockhounding on BLM Lands
http://www.or.blm.gov/lo/rockhoun.htm
http://www.blm.gov/nhp/efoia/or/fy2000/IMs/m2000-023ch1.htm
http://www.co.blm.gov/gjra/rockhounding.htm

ROCK COLLECTING GUIDE
http://www.or.blm.gov/Resources/Minerals/collecting/collectingguide.pdf

Given the price of meteorites, collecting them
from National Parks can also easily add up to
felony theft in addition to other charges if
caught.

Yours

Keith Littleton
New Orleans, LA
Received on Mon 21 Oct 2002 01:40:55 PM PDT