New Research and Emerging Scholars Working on Public Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the stewardship of more than 247 million acres of public lands, comprising 10% of the total area of the United States and containing some of the most significant heritage resources in the nation. Federal mandates require the BLM to manage these resources in a multiple use context that meet historic preservation goals while simultaneously providing for varied uses of the nation's land for present and future generations. An important element of this balancing act is proactive archaeological research to benefit both the academic discipline and the public. Archaeological research contributes vital information to develop effective management approaches through the identification of context, significance, and landscape level relationships. Investigations of the past also benefit the public as the basis for heritage values education by providing research opportunities for students and seasoned scholars. By jointly developing research programs that address these relationships, the BLM works to more effectively promote and support archaeological investigations that will be of the greatest value to the public. This symposium highlights recent and ongoing archaeological investigations conducted on BLM lands to underscore the significant role of public land management agencies in facilitating, conducting and sponsoring academic archaeological research.