Preservation Practice at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site - Using New Planning Frameworks to Identify and Address Impacts to an Archeological Landscape.

Summary

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site was set aside to preserve, research, and interpret the archeological and cultural landscapes of the Hidatsa-Mandan villages at the confluence of the Knife and Missouri Rivers. Both park enabling legislation and NPS policy direct park staff to preserve archeological resources unimpaired for future generations. However, defining what preservation means and how it is put into practice presents a challenge for park managers as they attempt to preserve archeological resources in balance with natural processes. In 2013, the park began a comprehensive Archeological Resources Management Plan as part of the new NPS planning framework. These efforts focus on increasing tribal and public involvement in a long term resource management strategy incorporating both NPS and traditional tribal values. This paper will explore these issues and discuss the ways that this planning strategy may guide resource preservation and maintain relevancy into the future.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Archeological Stewardship and Science in the National Park Service

Keywords

Spatial Coverage