National park employees sometimes spend extensive time cleaning up graffiti on rocks, which prevents them from performing emergency duties to keep visitors safe and promoting conservation education.
Joshua Tree National Park has been marked with senseless and damaging graffiti that detracts from the park's natural beauty and magical landscapes.
In a viral video on Joshua Tree National Park's official Instagram page, @joshuatreenps shared footage of employees spraying, brushing, and scrubbing away graffiti vandalism using specialized tools and safety suits.
"Despite the efforts of dedicated volunteers, who also act as 'Graffiti Busters,' vandalism diverts resources that could be better spent elsewhere and seriously impacts our natural spaces," @joshuatreenps wrote in the caption.
Although some graffiti cleanup jobs in national parks are quick and straightforward, others are incredibly intricate and time-consuming. To deter vandals from destroying Joshua Tree, the National Park Service encourages visitors to report graffiti via email at jotr_graffiti@nps.gov or by filling out a form at the park entrance or visitor centers.
The rangers wrote, "When reporting graffiti, please provide a detailed description of the location. Including photos and GPS coordinates will help ensure a quick response."
By reporting people who destroy nature and break park rules, you help conserve the natural environment and the associated historical traditions and cultures. Preserving our natural world is an important part of protecting it so that future generations can continue to appreciate our amazing planet.
Lovers of the park were outraged by the video and spoke out strongly in support of the national park workers cleaning up the graffiti.
"This is why we can't have nice things," one Instagrammer wrote in the comment section.
An Instagram user wrote, "If the rocks could speak, I'm sure they would thank you."
"Thank you for the hard work of keeping these natural beauties as they should be," another Instagrammer wrote.
"What is wrong with people?" someone else asked. "I want to go to their home and deface the house, car, all their belongings. Big 👏👏👏 to those who take the time to report it and to volunteers like these who clean it up."
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