Shifting sands expose the dangers of illegal pallet burning
Organization:
BLM Office:
Media Contact:
REXBURG, Idaho—As BLM Recreation Planner Ben Cisna headed out to begin seasonal preparations for the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, he didn’t expect to spend his entire day trying to remove thousands of sharp nails protruding from the sand.
“I pulled up to the area to complete some sign maintenance and I noticed thousands of dark lines in the sand,” said Cisna. “I didn’t know what it was at first, but as I got closer I realized it was nails.” Shifting sands and melting snow exposed a harsh reality: the remnants of pallet burning and other illegal activities on the dunes.
Cisna spent the entire day sifting through the sand collecting the debris to protect families and other responsible recreationalists from harm. He was able to cover approximately one-fourth of an acre and collect 60 pounds of nails, but will resume cleaning at a later date.
Bonfires and parties— which don’t pose a safety risk if people follow the rules and clean up their mess—continue to take place in the area. Nails and other construction debris left behind from months of illegal pallet burning have created significant dangers to those recreating on the sand dunes off Red Road.
“A small child playing on the dunes could easily fall or step on one of these nails,” said Jeremy Casterson, BLM Upper Snake Field Manager. “We do our best to keep the area clean, but it's impossible for our staff to comb over every acre of the dunes trying to remove nails.”
Campfires are allowed in a designated section off Red Road, though not on the open dunes. Pallet burning, however, is strictly prohibited. While the BLM and Brigham Young University-Idaho work together to educate students on appropriate behaviors on public land, it is clear that the message is not reaching everyone.
The Upper Snake Field Office is urging students and others who might be involved in illegal pallet burning to stop. Lack of compliance means the BLM will need to increase its law enforcement efforts and ticket those violating the rules.
For more information about the St. Anthony Sand Dunes or about appropriate campfire materials, contact the Upper Snake Field Office at 208-524-7500.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.