15 Ways to Help Preserve Local, State & National Monuments

Monuments—whether a neighborhood war memorial, a state historic site, or a National Monument like Bears Ears—face threats from neglect, development, climate, and political turnover. Here are 15 concrete actions, scaled from individual to systemic.

1. Learn the History & Significance

Read the nomination form (National Register), tribal ethnographies, local archives. Context arms advocacy.

2. Visit & Document

Foot traffic demonstrates value. Photograph condition (date-stamped); upload to state SHPO/THPO or National Trust "This Place Matters" map.

3. Volunteer

Friends groups (e.g., Friends of the High Line, Mesa Verde Foundation) need docents, trail crews, archival help. Skills: masonry, GIS, grant writing, social media.

4. Advocate Publicly

Letters to editor, op-eds, town-hall testimony. Frame as economic asset (heritage tourism $) + civic identity.

5. Sign & Share Petitions

National Trust, Sierra Club, local coalitions. Target decision-makers with deadlines.

6. Attend Public Meetings

City council, county commission, BLM/Forest Service scoping, Section 106 consultations. Speak during comment periods.

7. Donate Strategically

Restricted gifts for specific projects (roof repair, interpretive signage). Check 990s for efficiency.

8. Practice Responsible Visitation

Stay on trails, pack out waste, no graffiti, no artifact collection. Model behavior.

9. Honor Indigenous Connections

Many monuments sit on ancestral lands. Support co-management (e.g., Bears Ears Commission), repatriation, language revitalization.

10. Contact Elected Officials

Federal (Antiquities Act, NHPA funding), state (historic tax credits), local (zoning, demolition delays). Personalized emails > form letters.

11. Push Sustainable Management Plans

Climate adaptation (flood proofing, fire buffers), carrying-capacity limits, green infrastructure.

12. Join Preservation Organizations

National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Action, statewide nonprofits (Preservation Virginia, Colorado Preservation Inc.). Membership = lobbying weight.

13. Monitor & Report Threats

Vandalism, unauthorized excavation, encroaching development. Report to SHPO, NPS, local police, NTHP "Endangered Places" watchlist.

14. Celebrate Milestones

Centennials, dedications, heritage festivals. Media hooks renew attention & funding.

15. Vote & Run

School board, city council, state legislature control budgets & ordinances. Preservation needs champions in office.

Start with one action this month. Momentum compounds.