KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Eighteen new archaeological site stewards received training from the California Archaeological Site Steward Program last weekend.

They will assist the Northern Buttes District in monitoring archaeological resources at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, Clear Lake State Park and Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.

The stewards help archaeologists by assessing site conditions and work with rangers at the various units to protect our cultural heritage by actively reporting looting and other resource crimes.  

Training consists of overviews of local archaeology and ethnography, review of state and federal cultural resource statues, a talk by a local ranger, an overview of Volunteers in Parks, role playing for interacting with the public and review of the confidentiality of site records.

For Lake Oroville, with some 900 archaeological sites recorded and current near record drawn down of the lake pool, officials said these additional steward volunteers will be helpful in protecting the vulnerable archaeological resources which are exposed.  

While Clear Lake is less vulnerable to water draw down, water levels are expected to be very low this year, exposing sites that have been covered, according to State Parks officials.