Reducing Theft of Petrified Wood at Petrified Forest National Park

Abstract

The theft of petrified wood from Petrified Forest National Park is the park's primary resource-protection problem. Several interventions to control theft currently exist in the park, yet an estimated 12 tons of wood disappear from the park each year. This study evaluated three interventions to reduce the theft of wood from the park. Tested interventions included a sign, a signed pledge, and a uniformed volunteer. A field experiment revealed that all three interventions significantly reduced theft of wood over control conditions. In addition, the interventions were not significantly different from each other in their effectiveness.