Article

Archeology E-Gram April 2023

Chris Mather is Amache National Historic Site Manager

Chris Mather is the first permanent site manager of Amache NHS. He earned a B.A. in Anthropology with a minor in History from University of Idaho and a M.A. in American history and government from Ashland University. Mather has worked for the NPS for nearly 13 years, most recently as the cultural resources program manager at Fort Laramie NHS. He began his NPS career at Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS. He has also worked at Agate Fossil Beds NM and Yellowstone NP.
Mather will begin his new assignment on May 21, 2023.

Amy Roache-Fedchenko National Capital Region Partnership Program Coordinator

Amy Roache-Fedchenko is the new NPS National Capital Region (NCR) Partnership Program coordinator. Roache-Fedchenko joins the NCR from the NPS Northeast Region (NER) Northeast Archeological Resources Program where she has served as an archeologist since 2020.

Roache-Fedchenko joined the NPS in 2009 and has held positions as a museum specialist and chief of interpretation at Fort Stanwix NM, NER partnership program assistant, curator for Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace NHS, and park ranger at Harriet Tubman NHP.

Megan Rosengrant Maritime Grants Management Specialist

The Park History Program (WASO) welcomes Megan Rosengrant as the new Maritime Grants Management Specialist. Rosengrant earned a B.A. in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington; is a member of the Nautical Archaeology Society, in the United Kingdom; and earned a certificate from Cornell University in Intellectual Property Law.

Formerly a Curatorial Special Assistant for the National Museum of the Marine Corps and a Collections Management Specialist with SEARCH, Rosengrant has extensive museum experience. She is currently a project archeologist with Battle of the Atlantic Research and Expedition Group (BAREG) and is the scientific coordinator for a Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) funded project documenting a submerged German U-boat, the U-1105.

NPS Launches Section 106 Program Website

The NPS has launched a website with information about complying with National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106. In addition to being a place on NPS.gov for readers to find information about Section 106, the website will also be a platform for Section 106 program alternatives (such as the one being developed for NPS financial assistance programs and the one for NPS Mission 66-era facilities). Check back often to see new resources.

To access the website, go to Section 106 Compliance Program (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

New Federal Archeology Webpage

The Federal Archeology Program is a network of Federal agency archeologists who work on public lands and in regional offices, research centers, and agency headquarters. The Program focuses on activities related to the protection of archeological resources, including public education and outreach efforts.

Archeological stewardship activities are carried out by:

  • Federal agencies that manage archeological resources on Federal lands;
  • Federal agencies that fund projects that have potential to adversely affect archeological resources, including resources on state or private lands; and
  • Federal agencies that regulate or issue permits for activities that have potential to adversely affect archeological resources, including resources on state or private lands.

The Departmental Consulting Archeologist (DCA) position has been held by the NPS since 1927. The DCA, who also serves as the NPS Lead Archeologist, assists the Secretary with archeological responsibilities with the support and cooperation of federal agencies.

Visit the pages at Federal Archeology Program (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

National Park Service Archeology Program Launches New Sharepoint Site

The Archeology Program (WASO) Sharepoint site is now live, and accessible to all NPS employees. It offers technical information, including PDF versions of the NPS Archeology Guide – the NPS archeology resource manual (NPS-28A) that contains chapters on outreach, ARPA Permits guidance, archeological resources and fire, archeological resources in wilderness, and developing field safety response plans for munitions and other explosives. There are also ARPA application and Permit forms, report disclosure forms, CRIS-AR information, meeting and training announcements, and more! Check it out!

To visit the Archeology Sharepoint Site, go to Archeology Program (WASO) - Home (sharepoint.com).

National Park Service Common Learning Portal Shuts Down

The NPS has announced decommissioning of the Common Learning Portal (CLP). The CLP launched in 2016 as a custom learning platform, providing employees 24/7 access to a place where they could build skills, share ideas, and connect with others in a way no other tools available at the time could do. The CLP has been a homebase for professional development and peer support. Over time, it has become more challenging to maintain the portal.

Much information, resources, and informal conversations were maintained on the CLP platform, which was available to NPS employees and, upon request, to external users. Much of this content has been preserved in other venues and may be available in the future. Stay tuned!

National Park Service Releases Spring Issue of National Register’s Best Practices Reviews

The Best Practices Reviews complement guidance found in National Register Bulletins by providing examples on specific topics. This issue looks at amending National Register documentation.

To read this issue, go to https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/publications.htm.

#MyParkStory

Hey, NPS colleagues! Check out some of the entries in the #MyParkStory series in InsideNPS! It’s well worth it and you won’t be sorry. Director Sams provided an entry and there’s even one about archeology! Our colleagues have put a lot of time and effort and heart into telling their stories. We honor them and their efforts when we take a moment to read them.

Biden Declares Two New National Monuments Protecting Archeological Resources

President Biden has designated two new national monuments: Avi Kwa Ame in southern Nevada and Castner Range, a former military training site in El Paso, Texas.

The Avi Kwa Ame National Monument proclamation renders about 506,000 acres in southern Nevada off-limits to mining and other kinds of development. Monument designation also prohibits renewable energy development, although DOI officials have publicly noted that designation will not block construction and maintenance of utilities, pipelines, and roads. Twelve American Indian tribes consider Avi Kwa Ame the site from which their ancestors emerged.

The Castner Range National Monument encompasses 6,672 acres that the U.S. Army used for training and testing during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The Army stopped training at the site in 1966, at which point it was closed to the public because of unexploded ordnance. DOD, which manages Castner Range, will clean up the site until it is safe for public access. The range contains archeological artifacts from early Native American settlements, including rock art and pottery.

The Federal Archeologist’s Bookshelf: will be back soon.

GRANTS AND TRAINING

Detection Dogs in Archeology Workshop 2023
The NPS National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT), the Poverty Point World Heritage and State Historic Site, and the Friends of NCPTT, will host a three-day training workshop on human remains detection (HRD) dogs in archeological settings. Participants will receive training in employing HRD dog survey in archeological settings. Field exercises will demonstrate best practices regarding HRD dog survey under various circumstances. Workshop instructors include dog handler teams, experts in HRD dog survey, and archeologists.

Dates: May 9 - 11, 2023. The workshop begins at 8:00 am May 9 and ends 5:00 pm May 11.
Location: Poverty Point World Heritage Site, 6859 LA-577, Pioneer, LA 71266.
Cost: Regular participants: $600. Student participants: $300.
How to register: See the workshop announcement for registration.

Contact: Sadie Schoeffler, sadie_schoeffler@nps.gov (337) 257-6045, or Tad Britt, tad_britt@nps.gov (318) 521-5641.

Current Archeological Prospection: Advances for Non-Destructive Investigations Workshop 2023
The NPS National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT), the NPS Midwest Archeological Center, Wichita State University, and the Friends of NCPTT, are hosting a five-day training workshop in current archeological prospection advances for non-destructive investigations.
The workshop will provide a practical introduction to ground-based geophysical and other remote sensing techniques that are commonly used for the purposes of identifying, evaluating, and preserving archeological resources. Methods include magnetometry, ground-penetrating radar, earth resistance, metal detecting, conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility, terrestrial and airborne lidar, and aerial color and thermal infrared imaging. Lectures cover operation, survey methods, data processing, and interpretation. Participants have daily opportunities to gain introductory level, hands-on experience in the field.
Dates: May 22 - 26, 2023. The workshop begins at 8:00 am May 22, and end at 5:00 pm May 26.
Location: Cowley College, 125 South 2nd Street, Arkansas City, KS 67005. Field exercises will take place at two nearby locations.

Cost: Regular participants: $800. Student participants: $500.
How to register: See the workshop announcement for registration.

Contact: Adam Wiewel adam_wiewel@nps.gov (402) 437-5392 x139; Tad Britt, tad_britt@nps.gov (318) 521-5641; Sadie Schoeffler, sadie_schoeffler@nps.gov (337) 257-6045

New Round of ARPA Snapshots
ARPA Snapshots are designed for Law Enforcement and Cultural Resource Professionals who want to refresh their skills, look more closely at a particular topic, or explore new directions that the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) may take them in their work. All members of the ARPA team need to know about the entire process to effectively participate in an investigation and its follow-up. Both CR and LE are encouraged to participate in ALL Snapshot offerings.

Upcoming Sessions
May 11, 2023 – Building A Team to Investigate ARPA Cases
May 25, 2023 – Review of Property Law
June 08, 2023 – ARPA Field Damage Assessment (FDA)
June 22, 2023 – ARPA Resource Damage Assessment (RDA)

These webinars are offered using the MS Teams platform, 2:00 PM – 3:30 pm ET. Find the registration links and more details about each webinar on the Common Learning Portal.

Contact: Cari Kreshak, e-mail us

National Park Service Offers Tribal Consultation Training
The NPS Office of Native American Affairs and the Resources Training Program are accepting applications for Pathways to Confidence: Engaging in Effective NPS Tribal Consultation May 16-18, 2023, in Seward, AK. This class is for NPS managers with tribal consultation among their job responsibilities. Although this is an intermediate-level class, employees with all levels of consultation experience are encouraged to apply and attend. The class provides an introduction to developing a tribal consultation program at a park, proceeding through more advanced topics and case studies. The class builds the confidence to engage in successful tribal consultation in your park or office.

What you will learn

  • The tribal significance of park lands and resources
  • How to develop collaborative relationships with tribes, recognizing their subject matter expertise
  • Awareness of Indigenous cultures, past, present and future
  • How to flexibly and mutually plan, coordinate, and successfully execute tribal consultations
  • The commonality of priorities in Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the NPS mission to preserve and protect cultural and natural resources
  • How to create a personalized Tribal Consultation Guidebook on best practices, funding strategies, consultation timelines, and building relationships with your tribal partners

Contact: Cari Kreshak, e-mail us

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC: National Park Service Archeology Lesson Plans

Did you know that the NPS offers lesson plan about archeology for teachers? The lesson plans cover a wide range of topics, from specific places to national laws. These plans are a great complement to plans in Teaching with Historic Places and are aimed at specific grades and learning objectives.

Below is a list of lesson plans pertaining to archeology. To see all of the social science educator resources, go to Educator Resources - Teachers (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Archeology E-Gram, distributed via e-mail on a regular basis, includes announcements about news, new publications, training opportunities, national and regional meetings, and other important goings-on related to public archeology in the NPS and other public agencies. Recipients are encouraged to forward Archeology E-Grams to colleagues and relevant mailing lists. The E-Gram archive is available at https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1038/archeology-e-gram.htm.

Contact: Karen Mudar at e-mail us to contribute news items and to subscribe.

Last updated: May 4, 2023