I'm not so sure "leaving it in the dirt" is a valid conservation technique. Else museums would be full of boxes of dirt.

I recall when Siberia melted (yes, it melted) ephemera were appearing as the snow and ice disappeared. Even here on HN folks argued emotionally about "leaving it all where it was" instead of collecting it. Even though it would be gone in literally days (fibre bags, lost arrows with fragile fletchings, and on and on) and not collectable later, as it immediately rotted or the wind blew it to pieces.

There's a cult of "leave it where it is!" that defies rationality. So that's part of the equation too.