Idea for legislation to reform the trade in Fossils of Large Vertebrates in the United States

[jpc]

There are many roadcuts at Douglas Pass, but there are also many site that are NOT roadcuts.  

I am not sure if the roads at DP are County Roads or USFS roads, but I am sure they are not State highways... so does this CDOT rule still apply?  

[Missourian]

On 11/15/2022 at 5:21 PM, Top Trilo said:

It would be nice to have more access to collecting. Here in my state (Colorado) collecting from road cuts is illegal as its property of CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation). You can't collect any fossil, not even a brachiopod.

 

This is just depressing. It's as if they -- intentionally or unintentionally -- wiped out fossil collecting on all state lands just by adding 'fossils' to an archaeological preservation statute. They may have had vertebrate fossils in mind here, but they chose to make no distinction:

 

24-80-401. Title to historical, prehistorical, and archaeological resources. (1) The
state of Colorado reserves to itself title to all historical, prehistorical, and archaeological
resources in all lands, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other areas owned by the state or any county,
city and county, city, town, district, or other political subdivision of the state. Historical,
prehistorical, and archaeological resources shall include all deposits, structures, or objects which
provide information pertaining to the historical or prehistorical culture of people within the
boundaries of the state of Colorado, as well as fossils and other remains of animals, plants,
insects, and other objects of natural history within such boundaries.
(2) As used in this part 4, "historical, prehistorical, and archaeological resources"
includes, in addition to the specific site or deposit, rights-of-way access on state-owned land
from a maintained public road for the exploration, protection, preservation, interpretation, and
enhancement of the site or deposit proper.

 

(emphasis mine)

 

Heck, you can't even collect a dandelion or a cicada husk according to a strict interpretation of the statute.

[rocket]

interesting discussion, we had this many times in germany and europe. Fossil-dealing, best fossils go to riches person.

My opinion is: at the end money decides. I would really love to see that all of the great fossils go to museums and university-collections but when you dig professional and earn money with digging and dealing fossils, this will never go. Museums and Universities normally do not have the money and the staff to handle.

Best way will be to stay in good contact with the buyers and convince them to show their fossils in exhibitions, open private museums and do not let the fossils go in dark, hidden cellars. 

Or forbid digging for everyone except of museums and universities. But, you will never find enough to do good research and fill exhibitions. Sword with two sides...