Scout's Honor: Archaeological Stewardship of Rural Spaces with the Boy Scouts of America.

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeologists working in isolated rural locales continue to face the challenge of protecting archaeological sites from threats of looting and vandalism. Whether physically secluded beyond a watchful eye or simply located on private lands with few legal protections, sites in these rural spaces are at particular risk for damage or (un)intentional destruction. Nationwide scouting organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) present a unique avenue to physically bring together disparate rural communities and build lasting relationships with an eager to learn audience. Scouting groups are powerful potential allies in promoting stewardship values and practices as archaeological ambassadors in their own rural communities. Based on recent fieldwork experiences in Monroe County, Illinois, this poster illustrates the Southern American Bottom Archaeological Project’s (SABA) partnership with Camp Vandeventer to host an inaugural Archaeology Merit Badge Day in our 2023 field season. Here I discuss unique considerations, challenges, and potentials for such engagement in promoting enduring community partnerships and stewardship practices amongst rural youth and their guardians.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39372.0