Series: NPS Archeology Guide: Cultural Resources and Wilderness

This chapter of the NPS Archeology Guide informs NPS personnel about their responsibilities to consider cultural resources when planning for wilderness management. Advance planning, cooperation, and coordination are key elements in ensuring that cultural resources are fully considered when planning and implementing wilderness management activities.

  • Article 1: Overview

    National Park Service has argued in court (Wilderness Watch, Inc. v. Creachbaum) that the Wilderness Act does not mandate decay or destruction of all cultural resources in wilderness. It also argued that the National Historic Preservation Act does not require preservation of the material fabric of all cultural resources. This guidance is intended to assist in responsible and defensible decisions about the management of archeological and other cultural resources in wilderness. Read more

  • Article 2: Archeological and other Cultural Resource Types

    The NPS recognizes five categories of cultural resources: archeology, cultural landscapes, structures and installations, museum objects, and ethnographic resources. When present, cultural resources may be integral to wilderness character and a reason for wilderness designation. This section of Cultural Resources and Wilderness provides an overview of archeological resources, and ways that archeology may be a component of other cultural resource management categories. Read more

  • Article 3: Access to Wilderness Cultural Resources

    The Wilderness Act and Federal laws and regulations, Executive Orders, and policies relevant to cultural resources and the people who value them influences access to traditional cultural places in wilderness contexts for traditional practices (including burial). Access to wilderness resources for scientific research, and education and outreach purposes also may be granted whenever activities are compatible with wilderness management goals. Read more

  • Article 4: Legal and Policy Mandates

    Federal laws and regulations, Executive Orders, and policies that post-date the Wilderness Act guide the consideration of cultural resources and the people who value them in planning and management of wilderness areas. The National Park Service Organic Act (1916), and laws protecting cultural resources that pre-date the Wilderness Act remain vital to the preservation of cultural resources. Read more

  • Article 5: Cultural and Natural Resource Consultation

    The importance of early and sustained consultation during the development of cultural resource content in wilderness studies and management plans cannot be over-emphasized. Initiation of consultation in the early stages of project development may help to identify significant cultural resources that should be afforded consideration in planning. Read more

  • Article 6: Cultural Resource Data for Wilderness Planning

    Cultural resource specialists collect, compile and analyze information on park cultural resources and make the information available to wilderness managers to ensure that all members of interdisciplinary teams have documentation necessary to comply with Federal cultural resource laws and regulations, Executive Orders, and policies. Read more

  • Article 7: Cultural Resources and Wilderness Documents

    Cultural Resources and Wilderness Documents Read more

  • Article 8: Cultural Resources in Wilderness Management

    Cultural Resources in Wilderness Management Read more

  • Article 9: Useful Resources for Managing Cultural Resources in Wilderness

    This section provides useful references for cultural resource and wilderness managers. Read more

  • Article 10: Credits - Archeology and Wilderness

    Planning for Cultural Resources and Wilderness began in 2013. Read more