Education and Volunteer Work For several agencies, educational outreach and volunteer programs have been crucial to the success of their historic preservation programs. Volunteers in historic preservation contribute their time, skills, and passion, making it possible to tackle projects that might otherwise be challenging due to financial constraints or manpower limitations. Volunteer programs provide individuals interested in pursuing careers in history, archaeology, architecture, or related fields with education, valuable hands-on experience, and networking opportunities. Volunteers learn about historic preservation practices, and in turn, they become advocates who can spread awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage within their communities. Involving volunteers fosters a sense of community ownership and pride in the nation’s heritage.
Tourism Preserving historic sites can attract tourists and visitors, creating jobs in the hospitality sector. Increased tourism can lead to a greater demand for services such as hotels, restaurants, tour guides, and transportation, thereby boosting the local economy. Tourism often raises awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Visitors become advocates for the protection of these sites, both during their visit and upon their return home. While several federal agencies consider tourism a major part of their mission, others have found creative ways to facilitate access and make information about their historic properties available to the public.
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
» The DOE Nevada National Security Site has a partnership with the Smithsonian’s Atomic Museum in Las Vegas, that showcases resources from the site and details some of the ethnohistory of the region using information gained from archaeological surveys. » The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has embraced online exhibits as part of Section 106 mitigation efforts to help promote awareness of their historic properties and provide access to interpretive exhibits for those unable to visit physical exhibits or properties in-person. The online exhibits are extensions of the existing Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum website. The pilot effort was an exhibit, “Biologics Regulation and Research: The People and Work of Buildings 29 & 29A.” This exhibit was one component of Section 106 mitigation for the proposed demolition of two National Register-eligible buildings on the NIH Bethesda Campus in Maryland. » To celebrate TVA’s 90th anniversary, the agency invited the public to tour several of TVA’s historic hydroelectric plants. Finding opportunities for visitation at TVA’s hydroelectric facilities—designed to be accessible to the public—while ensuring necessary security remains a challenge.
» The DoD Legacy Program partners with the National Environmental Education Foundation to fund National Public Lands Day (NPLD) service projects. Through this partnership, NPLD events provide opportunities for military personnel to lead stewardship efforts on installations involving DoD members, their families, retirees, and veterans. These events directly benefit participants by promoting physical activity, building camaraderie, and strengthening the military’s relationship with neighboring residents, businesses, and communities. By advancing environmental stewardship while focusing on cultural, community-significant projects, the military takes an active, hands-on role in caring for the environment. These projects strengthen environmental and cultural resource enhancement activities as well as occupational health at military installations. » Throughout FY 2020 to 2023, the VA National Cemetery Administration has conducted programs geared to K-12 students and teachers in national cemeteries as part of the Veterans Legacy Program (VLP). The programs are designed to connect students with the men and women interred in VA’s national cemeteries and to introduce them to rich cultural resources and the history of the cemeteries. In FY 2022, the VLP received grant authority under the Veterans Legacy Grants Program and awarded six grants for educational programs at seven national cemeteries, including teacher development workshops conducted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. » In 2021, the Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest collaborated with Preserve Montana to launch a pilot project aimed at engaging young people in historic preservation. The initiative focused on engaging youth in cultural resources, training new professionals in heritage stewardship, enhancing partnerships, strengthening their capacity to carry out Section 106 reviews and Section 110 activities, and contributing to Heritage Program goals. Funding for the two-year program was provided by a $39,860 grant from the Missouri River Resource Advisory Committee through the Secure Rural Schools & Community Self-Determination Action Title II Project. Through this partnership, the program has given college students a chance to learn about cultural resources management and preservation efforts, while contributing to USFS’s stewardship mission.
Preservation for All Federal historic preservation should aim to be inclusive, accessible, and equitable, in order to invite the participation of and reflect the experiences of all communities. Engaging diverse cultures helps address historical injustices and promotes a more balanced and fair representation of the nation’s heritage. Integrating diversity into preservation efforts promotes sustainable development and also encourages the use of Indigenous Knowledge in maintaining and managing cultural resources in environmentally friendly ways. Some agencies, including DoD, responded that they work closely with descendant communities, when possible, to provide access to Traditional Cultural Places or other sites of cultural significance to those communities.
Students learn about the lives of African American WWI soldiers during the UCF VLP program at St. Augustine National Cemetery in St. Augustine, FL. (NCA)
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