A video showing two men disturbing rock formations in a national park shocked online viewers — and led to serious consequences.
As The Independent reported, it happened in Lake Mead National Recreation Area last April. The video shows two men pushing pieces of rock off the tops of ancient sandstone formations.
"Why would you even do something like this, like why on Earth would you do this?" John Haynes, a public information officer for the park, told Fox 5 Vegas.
"It takes millions of years for these rock formations to form, and then you get a few idiots out there that are destroying all that work of nature. … It's pretty appalling. It's kind of disgusting," Haynes said.
It also happened to be illegal. A jury found the two men guilty of "injury and depredation of government property." Each now faces up to a year in jail, a $100,000 fine, or both.
The sentence, which will be handed down July 8, might sound harsh, but many feel it's justified. "Why??? Why why? Why?" one person wrote on Instagram. Another added: "Losers destroying nature for nothing. Hope they throw the book at them."
Stay hydrated and refreshed this holiday season — without any sugar or harmful additives Nuun’s zero-sugar hydration tablets are a perfect, guilt-free way to enhance your water throughout the day. You’ll get five essential electrolytes for everyday hydration — with zero grams of sugar. Plus, Nuun tablets are certified vegan and gluten-free, and they’re the perfect size to keep in your car, purse, or anywhere you'll want a healthy, restorative drink. Learn more → |
Beyond attractions for nature lovers, national parks are home to sensitive ecosystems, endangered species, and ancient geological features. Not only are the tourists in this video destroying fragile structures, but they're also putting themselves at risk of injury or worse.
Social media has shined a light on instances of tourists' behaving irresponsibly in protected areas — from carving natural features to chasing wildlife for photo ops. When visitors behave like this, they make it more difficult for others to enjoy parks. With enough bad behavior, restrictions could be put in place, ruining the experience for everyone.
Officials encourage people to report anyone who breaks the rules, gets too close to natural features or wildlife, or acts disrespectfully in national parks. Commenters on the video agreed that park rules need to be strictly enforced to discourage this behavior and prevent copycats.
"The shame is these people are never ticketed/fined/jailed/banned as they should be," one person said. Another wrote: "I hope they were arrested and charged with felonies and banned from the national parks for life."
There's a reason dermatologists personally use this daily moisturizing sunscreen more than any other brand Dermatologists see and understand skin at a much deeper level than the rest of us, and they know that the perfect SPF both protects and corrects your skin. That's why they trust, recommend, and personally use EltaMD more than any other brand. EltaMD's clinically tested formulas are designed with dermatologists to meet the needs of any skin type or condition. They're also designed for consistent daily wear to build long-term resilience with a moisturizing, lightweight, non-comedogenic texture — plus hyaluronic acid to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Learn more → |
|
Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
