Volunteers with the California Archaeological Site Steward Program. Photo by CASSP

The California Archaeological Site Steward Program helps protect historic tribal sites from looters and vandals.

Volunteers patrol archaeological sites on state land to check for damage. They work closely with park rangers and collect evidence of illegal digging.

"We've had people filling up buckets and taking them home," Kim Preston, one of the volunteers, told The Los Angeles Times. "But you can't dig in a state park — not even with a spoon."

The drought in California has exposed more sites, including Maidu sites at Lake Oroville State Recreation Area. More volunteers are being assigned them to ensure the area is protected.

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Volunteers work to protect California historic site from looters (The Los Angeles Times 7/7)