Public Archaeology and CRM in Louisiana: Making Historical Archaeology Matter

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Public Archaeology and CRM in Louisiana: Making Historical Archaeology Matter," at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

There is no timelier theme for Louisiana than landscapes in transition. Louisiana has lost an estimated 2,000 square miles due to coastal erosion and stands to lose considerably more from relative sea level rise. Archaeological sites throughout the state are at risk from anthropogenic and environmental processes that increasingly effect landscapes, places, and heritage. Archaeologists are working in contexts involving landscapes in transition, population displacement, environmental degradation, and climate change. This involves industrial and urban development, resource extraction, coastal restoration and protection, and cultural resource management. These transitions can be traced to power relations in the modern world and contemporary past. This symposium is focused on how archaeologists in Louisiana can study and advance an understanding of connections between landscapes in transition, people, and place. Making historical archaeology matter means addressing the intersections of heritage at risk and restorative, environmental justice through collaborative archaeology, community engagement, public outreach, and education.