Anticipating Climate Change Impacts To Mountain Heritage Resources :Case Studies From The Virginia Blue Ridge

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Beyond the Shoreline: Heritage at Risk at Inland Sites" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Archaeological sites in the Appalachians are compromised by climate change impacts such as drought and high winds that create conditions for blow downs and wildfires, as well as extreme precipitation events that lead to severe erosion, flash flooding, or rapid mass wasting. Archaeologists working in mountain settings rely on interdisciplinary collaboration to identify vulnerable areas and prioritize field work, but in many instances, the sites that are impacted have not been documented due to a lack of focus on upland archaeological resources. In this presentation, several case studies from the Virginia Blue Ridge describe recent damage to historic sites from extreme weather events. In addition to the loss of material culture, impacts to the knowledge base and descendant community identity are evaluated. The types of historic sites most at risk will be discussed, along with mitigation and adaptation strategies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Beyond the Shoreline: Heritage at Risk at Inland Sites   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology