Civic Engagement and Public Involvement

Civic engagement (known also as public involvement, engagement, or consultation) is key to archeology outreach. NPS holds that the preservation of archeological resources depends upon collaborative relationships with its stakeholders.

Director's Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement, as well as the extensive list of resources included in it, provide parks with a clear policy statement on the importance of the relationships between parks and the public. Specifically, it “reinforces public commitment to the preservation of heritage resources, both cultural and natural, and strengthens public understanding of the full meaning and contemporary relevance of these resources.”

To wit, archeology outreach is a tool of civic engagement that helps NPS archeologists to:

• Build and sustain relationships with partners, neighbors, and communities;
• Commit to two-way, continuous, and dynamic dialog;
• Reveal the full meaning and relevance of archeological resources and values;
• Promote civic responsibility for archeological resources; and
• Collaborate on program development, decisionmaking, and products.

For more information:

• 1.7 Civic Engagement, NPS Management Policies (2006)
• Director's Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement
• NPS Stewardship Institute (see in particular the reports and publications)
• NPS Civic Engagement
• Archeology and Civic Engagement, Barbara J. Little and Nathaniel Amdur-Clark (2008)