NPS Archeology Program: Archeology for Interpreters

NPS Policies

NPS Management Policies and Director's Order NO. 28

Director's Order No. 28: Cultural Resource Management Guidelines, updates and supplements the National Park Service Management Policies. The National Park Service has detailed written guidance to help managers make day-to-day decisions. The first level, and the primary source of guidance, is contained in the publication Management Policies, last published in 200l NPS management policies must be consistent with the Constitution, public laws, proclamations, executive orders, rules and regulations, and directives issued by the President and the Secretary of the Interior.

Director's Orders may also include updated statements of NPS management policy. As Director's Orders and Handbooks or Reference Manuals are finalized, they will be made available to the public. Until these new Director's Orders are finalized, the existing guidelines remain in effect.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

2006 Management Policies

This on-line volume addresses those policies applicable to management of the national park system. (12/4/07)

Director's Orders and related documents

This web site accesses National Park Service Director's Order, indcluding DO#28: Cultural Resource Management and DO#28A: Archeology. Also find NPS-28 Cultural Resource Management Guideline, the handbook for DO#28. (2/8/06)

Director's Order #52A: Communicating the National Park Service Mission

This web site accesses recent NPS strategies for communicating the NPS mission and resources to the American public. (3/5/01)

Systemwide Archeological Inventory Program (SAIP)

The National Park Service specifically defines parameters for archeological research within the parks. The Systemwide Archeological Inventory Program (SAIP), also known as the National Archeological Survey Initiative (NASI), was established in 1992 to respond to the Park Archeology Program's inadequate knowledge of archeological site locations and, therefore, inadequate ability to protect and preserve these cultural resources servicewide. The SAIP's goals and objectives are:

Goal:

Conduct systematic, scientific research to locate, evaluate, and document archeological resources on National Park system lands.

Objectives:

1) Determine the nature and extent of archeological resources in park areas.
2) Record and evaluate those resources in the Archeological Sites Management Information System (ASMIS) database
3) Include nominating eligible properties for listing in the National Register of Historic Places
4) Recommend appropriate strategies for conserving, protecting, preserving in situ, managing, and interpreting those resources (Aubrey et al., 1992:2).

CASE STUDY

Lower Mississippi Delta Region Initiative Legislative Initiative-LMDR(PL103-433)

At this web site, read the Lower Mississippi Delta Region Initiative, Public Law 103-433, directing the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a comprehensive program of studies-including archeological investigations-on heritage in the Lower Mississippi Delta. (11/22/00)

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