New natural or human-made damage is to be recorded on the site map (or other relevant forms). The steward is responsible for ensuring that this information is given to the proper authorities. On-Site Procedures The training is sufficient to prepare site stewards for the basic site visit. program’s initial This section presents guidelines for stewards who encounter natural or human-made damage. It is important to have a systematic plan for surveying the site. Stewards can use a grid or any other they choose as long as that style allows a systematic and “style” – complete overview of the site. A site should be observed in its entirety at every visit, and those observations should be consistent and comparable from one visit to the next. Awareness of the Different Forms of Impacts As noted above, it is imperative to remember that the business of the SiteWatch Program is not law enforcement, but deterrence and monitoring. When working in and around a site, each steward should be aware that any of their actions can affect the ability to counter or neutralize problems. Each program’s SiteWatch volunteer has a responsibility not to endanger evidence or impair the investigation that may follow. It takes months, sometimes years, of study and experience to train a skilled criminal investigator. It can take as many months of painstaking discipline to collect and maintain an unbroken chain of evidence that can be used in court. A site steward, without such a background, who moves, touches, covers, or in any way alters evidence, is acting against the best interests of SiteWatch. Our goals: FIND IT, RECORD IT, AND REPORT IT Our duty is to monitor and report – on natural or human-made impacts to those authorities trained to deal with such eventualities. SiteWatch volunteers are the vital leading edge of a much larger process that includes land managers, archaeologists, investigators, district attorneys, judges, and more. Approaching a Site The Site Information Folder contains information regarding parking, how to find the trail to the site and any walking hazards. Review this information carefully prior to setting out. . Move cautiously and quietly, mute cell phones or radios. In some instances you are within hearing distance of the site before you can actually see it. If someone is there, you want to know that first. Ideally, stewards should look for a remote location
New natural or human-made damage is to be recorded on the site map (or other relevant forms). The steward is responsible for ensuring that this information is given to the proper authorities. On-Site Procedures The program’s initial training is sufficient to prepare site stewards for the basic site visit. This section presents guidelines for stewards who encounter natural or human-made damage. It is important to have a systematic plan for surveying the site. Stewards can use a grid or any other “style” they choose – as long as that style allows a systematic and complete overview of the site. A site should be observed in its entirety at every visit, and those observations should be consistent and comparable from one visit to the next. Awareness of the Different Forms of Impacts As noted above, it is imperative to remember that the business of the SiteWatch Program is not law enforcement, but deterrence and monitoring. When working in and around a site, each steward should be aware that any of their actions can affect the program’s ability to counter or neutralize problems. Each SiteWatch volunteer has a responsibility not to endanger evidence or impair the investigation that may follow. It takes months, sometimes years, of study and experience to train a skilled criminal investigator. It can take as many months of painstaking discipline to collect and maintain an unbroken chain of evidence that can be used in court. A site steward, without such a background, who moves, touches, covers, or in any way alters evidence, is acting against the best interests of SiteWatch. Our goals: FIND IT, RECORD IT, AND REPORT IT – Our duty is to monitor and report on natural or human-made impacts to those authorities trained to deal with such eventualities. SiteWatch volunteers are the vital leading edge of a much larger process that includes land managers, archaeologists, investigators, district attorneys, judges, and more. Approaching a Site The Site Information Folder contains information regarding parking, how to find the trail to the site and any walking hazards. Review this information carefully prior to setting out. . Move cautiously and quietly, mute cell phones or radios. In some instances you are within hearing distance of the site before you can actually see it. If someone is there, you want to know that first. Ideally, stewards should look for a remote location
Handbook%20Revised%2010-12.docx