Archeology for Interpreters > 8. Cultural Resource Management (CRM)

Other resources

The National Park Service offers many resources to ensure compliance with the laws, regulations and policies discussed in this section.

Director's Order 28A: Archeology

The NPS Archeology Program publishes the NPS Archeology Guide to describe operational requirements, activities, standards, and other guidance to ensure the responsible management of archeological resources under the stewardship of the National Park Service. The Guide supplements more general directions in Director's Order #28A: Archeology, the NPS CRM Guideline, and Directors' Order 28: Cultural Resource Management.

Technical Briefs

The NPS Archeology Program publishes Technical Briefs that address topics of interest to archeologists, land managers, preservation officers, museum professionals, Native Americans, law enforcement agents, educators, and the public. Technical Briefs cover topics ranging from conservation to public education.

More than twenty-two electronic Technical Briefs have been published since 1988.

Common Ground: Archeology and Ethnography in the Public Interest

[photo] Cover of Common Ground, depicting native Americans hunting.

An issue of Common Ground.

Common Ground: Archeology and Ethnography in the Public Interest (known previously as Federal Archeology) was a quarterly magazine read by nearly 16,000 archeologists, land managers, preservation officers, museum professionals, Native Americans, law enforcement agents, educators, and the public. Published from 1994 to 2001, each issue offered in-depth coverage of a topic—such as working with Native Americans, managing sites in wilderness lands, or African American archeology—as well as hard-to-find or otherwise unavailable information on protecting sites, public outreach, caring for collections, training, publications, and more.

In 2003, this publication was replaced by Common Ground: Preserving our Nation's Heritage to cover a wider range of cultural resource issues.

Read past issues:

CRM-Cultural Resource Management

[photo] Cover of CRM-Culural
Resource Management

From 1978 to 2002, the National Park Service published CRM—Cultural Resource Management, a magazine containing information for parks, federal agencies, Indian tribes, states, local governments, and the private sector that promotes and maintains high standards for preserving and managing cultural resources. This publication includes articles, references, and bulletins. In 2003, CRM was replaced by CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship.

Over twenty-four years of CRM issues are available on line. Specific articles and authors may be found via a searchable index database. You can also explore CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship online.

National Register Bulletin

The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. It is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources.

The National Register Bulletin Series provides guidance to document, evaluate and nominate historically significant sites to the National Register of Historic Places. The series is divided into four sections: the Basics, Property Types, Technical Assistance, and General Guidance. Also available are several brochures that provide information on the programs of the National Register.

Most National Register Bulletins and Brochures are available electronically. Two National Register Bulletins are of specific interest to archeologists and interpreters:

Use What You Know: Assess Your Knowledge (#8 of 9)

How does Cultural Resources Management affect what happens in your park?
What legislative protections directly affect archeology on federal lands? What do visitors need to know about these laws?
What NPS resources are available for learning more about CRM and the federal programs associated with it?

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