(Salt Lake Tribune photo by Brian Maffly, March 27, 2018) Josh Ewing, executive director of Friends of Cedar Mesa, explores an alcove in Jenny Canyon, a tributary of Recapture Canyon east of Blanding, where Anasazi cliff dwellings like this one remain hidden in the canyon walls. As part of its review of new oil and gas leases in this area, the Bureau of Land Management posted an archaeological resources report that some believe disclosed too much detail about the artifacts and sites that blanket these public lands. The BLM swapped the document with a redacted version, but tensions linger between transparency and protecting resources from would-be looters.
Brian Maffly has worked for The Tribune off and on since 1994. Maffly roams Utah, covering public land and environment.