HIGHLIGHTS
of park visitors should mirror that of the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area. The diversity of Presidio visitors has continued to map closely to Bay Area demographics in terms of ethnicity and income, though the agency aims to further expand and sustain outreach to the Latino and Asian communities and to people with disabilities. Major upgrades to park amenities are helping to meet these goals and are described in a Case Study on page 94.
» NPS leads the Urban Archeology Corps (UAC), a summer work program for diverse youth ages 15-34, in collaboration with the NPS Archeology Program (Washington Service Office), national park units, and nonprofit youth partners. The UAC draws on archaeology as a vehicle for young people to learn about national parks and their surrounding communities, the diverse histories and resources that make these places special, and public service and employment at NPS. In the process, they practice civic engagement principles while earning hours toward noncompetitive hiring under the Public Lands Act authorities.
NPS Urban Archaeology Corps in Washington, D.C. (NPS)
Akilah Jaramogi, Merikin descendant and Chief Executive Officer of the Merikin Heritage Foundation in Trinidad, honors
her ancestors and those who lost their lives at the
Apalachicola River by intoning their names and acknowledging their struggles while throwing cowrie shells into the water at the Prospect Bluff archaeological site. (USFS)
» USFS, in partnership with the government of Trinidad and Tobago, is exploring a site within the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida connected to the Merikins community in Southern Trinidad, founded by people who had escaped American enslavement and fought for the British during the War of 1812. Collaboration with local experts and community members has helped to uncover the site’s history, making sure the interpretation of historic artifacts is both authentic and inclusive. Digital Programming Provides Accessibility The development of digital programming by federal agencies was a crucial way for agencies to stay connected to, educate, and entertain the public at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Programming, in the form of videos, virtual webinars and tours, digital kiosks, and apps were vital to maintaining engagement with the public. These tools continue to provide visitors opportunities for engagement, both when visiting historic places or from their homes. BLM highlighted numerous examples of digital programming that expanded their capacity for heritage tourism to underserved communities, increasing equitable access to historic properties in BLM’s control, detailed in a Case Study on page 104. Virtual programming provides accessibility options to the public who may be unable to visit in-person or require additional information about accessibility options before traveling. A noteworthy example of the latter is provided in GSA’s Annex design and rehabilitation of the 1932 James M. Ashley and Thomas W. L. Ashley U.S. Courthouse in Toledo, Ohio. The rehab included thoughtfully conceived accessibility paths, a transparent connector and seamless gateway through the historic monumental entrance to public spaces in the complementary new building. GSA provides virtual public access to these spaces in an online walk-through showcasing the gateway design.
» Since 2017, Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45) of the U.S. Space Force, in collaboration with the University of Central Florida (UCF) Anthropology Department, has been undertaking archaeological research at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project aims to further understand the cultural significance of various archaeology sites located within the Space Force Station and inform on their eligibility for the National Register. The information gathered also aids SLD 45’s climate change and sea-level rise planning efforts and mitigates effects caused by those impacts. The project provides valuable, local job training to UCF students who, in some cases, cannot afford the traditionally high cost of a six-week archaeological field school or travel due to full-time employment or family obligations. » In 2021, GSA’s Northeast Caribbean Region preservation and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard compliance programs joined the NPS Park Facility Management Program in training on historic sites and accessibility compliance that remains available online to employees of both agencies and the public. » The NPS Golden Gate National Recreation Area places special focus on serving people who have historically not felt welcome or safe in national parks, including people of color, people from low to middle income households, and people with disabilities. Specifically, the Presidio Trust has set a target that the racial and income demographics
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IN A SPIRIT OF STEWARDSHIP: A Report on Federal Historic Properties • 2024 | 93
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