Joshua Tree National Park reports increased vandalism & graffiti

Officials at Joshua Tree National Park said they’ve seen an increase in visitation over the past few years, but with the notable increase in visitation, unfortunately they’ve also seen more graffiti and intentional vandalism occurring at the park.

Superintendent David Smith said, “99% of visitors are respectful and truly appreciate the pristine scenery the park has to offer. Unfortunately there are visitors who feel it necessary to damage what Mother Nature has produced”.

Rangers at the park are now asking for the public’s help in monitoring the graffiti and vandalism to alleviate the damage. They are providing some easy ways for park visitors to report vandalism.

Officials ask visitors to report incidents of vandalism and graffiti to a new email address: jotr_graffiti@nps.gov.

In addition, new graffiti reporting forms will be available at park visitor centers and entrance stations. Rangers ask to provide a good, detailed description of the location. Photos and GPS coordinates are also very helpful in order to clear up the issue quickly, officials said in a release.

Rangers appreciate visitors to take a few moments to report graffiti to help keep Joshua Tree National Park a “magical and unique landscape” and keep the park that way.

Check Your First Alert Weather Forecast More Top Stories from KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2