Preserving Cultural Resources And Wilderness - Interagency Training
The course will be held in-person in Meeker, CO, and will include a field trip into the nearby Flat Tops Wilderness. Staff from BLM, FWS, FS, or NPS whose work interfaces between cultural resources and wilderness are invited to apply (see “how to register” below). Non-federal agencies and partners are also welcome to apply and will be selected if space allows. The Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center will notify you if you are selected. Participants are required to attend the entire training to receive credit.
Dates
September 10-12, 2024
Location
Rio Blanco Fire Protection District, Meeker Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Meeker, CO
Lodging
Lodging in Meeker will be made available, specific information about lodging will be sent out with notification of your selection.
Dispersed camping opportunities are available at-large on Bureau of Land Management lands surrounding Meeker. Contact the BLM White River Field Office at 970-878-3800 or BLM_CO_White_River@blm.gov for additional information about dispersed camping.
Sites at the Forest Service-managed North Fork Campground located approx. 30 miles outside of Meeker may be used by class participants. Please contact Chelsea Muise chelsea.muise@usda.gov if interested in utilizing these facilities.
Training Cadre
- James Sippel, BLM representative to the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center
- Laura Kirn, National Park Service
- Molly Westby, Forest Service
- Nate Thomas, Bureau of Land Management
- Blair Davenport, National Park Service
- Chelsea Musie, Forest Service
Cost
Participants pay their own travel costs.
Audience
The target audience is field-level decision-makers and field staff whose work interfaces between cultural resources and wilderness.
Description
This course addresses cultural resources management in wilderness. Specifically, the course will focus on the perceived conflict between the stewardship of cultural and wilderness resources. It illuminates the historical context of the management of the built environment (historic structures) in wilderness, presents an overview of law and agency policy, examines pertinent court cases, showcases traditional skills often required to execute historic preservation projects in wilderness, highlights indigenous peoples’ perspectives, and provides an opportunity for robust discussions. The course is designed to foster awareness and understanding of stewardship requirements, illustrate planning requirements and steps, and improve stewardship of historic resources within areas of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Learning is enhanced by a one-day field trip to view and discuss an existing cultural resources stewardship issue in wilderness, and the opportunity to network with cultural and wilderness professionals from all land management agencies.
Learning Goals
- Develop awareness of fundamentals: cultural resources, the wilderness resource (designated in the NWPS) and the relationship between the two (with emphasis on the built environment, historic structures)
- Improve stewardship of cultural resources and wilderness character as a whole
- Explore perceived conflicts between cultural resources and wilderness stewardship
- Provide overview of law, agency policy, and case law
- Develop knowledge of the minimum requirements in project design in Wilderness
- Highlight the importance of consultation, relationship building, and ethnographic resources and uses in Wilderness
- Provide opportunities for peer-to-peer connections and discussions between cultural and wilderness staff
- Connect with local history
How to Register
Registration is now closed.
Questions
Questions about the registration process should be directed to Holly Metzger at holly.metzger@usda.gov or 406-481-4416. Questions about course content or logistics should be directed to James Sippel at jsippel@blm.gov