Science & Research

Historical, Preservation, and Scientific Research at San Antonio Missions

 

National park mason restoring a historic wall.

NPS Photo

Best Practices in Stone Building Preservation Management

The San Antonio Missions Manual of Best Practices in Stone Building Preservation Management was prepared by the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Center for Cultural Sustainability (UTSA-CCS) to provide a framework for the ongoing care and management
of the historic Spanish Colonial structures in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (SAAN). Based on assessments of the missions’ designations of historic significance, stated preservation objectives, and observed heritage values, this manual provides guidance to assist the National Park Service in the management of the Missions as a National Historical Park and UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Manual of Best Practices details implementation priorities and treatment protocols for stone masonry at the SAAN sites, which includes four compounds and associated features. The first and second sections of the manual focus on treatment principles and essential building health, including structural issues and site water management. The third section of the manual addresses risk management of the park’s cultural assets.

 

Field crew member recording plant species in a long-term vegetation monitoring plot at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

GULN/NPS

Gulf Coast Network Scientific Research

Scientific research is key to protecting the natural and cultural wonders of our national parks. To make sound decisions, park managers need accurate information about the resources in their care. They also need to know how park ecosystems change over time, and what amount of change is normal. But park staff can’t do it alone.

Like a physician monitoring a patient's heartbeat and blood pressure, scientists with the Gulf Coast Network collect long-term data on San Antonio Mission National Historical Park’s “vital signs.” They monitor key resources, like Terrestrial Vegetation, Breeding Landbirds, Amphibian Communities and Water Quality. Then they analyze the results and report them to park managers. Knowing how key resources are changing can provide managers with early warning of potential problems. It can also help them to make better decisions and plan more effectively.

Studying park vital signs is only part of the picture. Scientific research is also conducted by park staff, other state and federal scientists, university professors and students, and independent researchers. Because many parks prohibit activities that occur elsewhere, scientists can use the parks as areas for determining the effects of these activities where they do occur. Especially in the American West, national park lands often serve as the best model for what a relatively undisturbed landscape looks like.