Heritage
Tri-leads:
Shela McFarlin, Cienega Watershed Partnership
JJ Lamb, Vail Preservation Society
Clint Dalton, BLM
Participants:
Steve Boice, Empire Ranch Foundation
Carla Kerekes-Martin, Vail Preservation Society
Alison Bunting, Empire Ranch Foundation
Bunker LaFrance, Empire Ranch Foundation
Courtney Rose, Pima County Cultural Resources & Historic Preservation Office
Chris Schrager, BLM
Kim Ryan, BLM
Marty Maierhauser, CWP and VPS
Julia Sittig, SDR and AVCA
Robin Pinto, University of Arizona, CWP, VPS
Bill Gillespie, retired USFS
Dave Mehalic, Coronado National Forest
Annamarie Schaecher, CWP
The Las Cienegas National Conservation Area - Heritage Technical Team
DRAFT PURPOSE STATEMENT
Promote understanding of cultural resources within this landscape and, to a lesser degree, the paleontological localities
Identify knowledge gaps, current trends and conditions in these resources or the context that affect them
Promote best management practices and heritage education
Promote cultural resources funding and increase resources available for the study, management, interpretation, and protection of these sites and their contexts
Work with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on upcoming plan revisions to ensure the future of the past
Geographical Scope
The focus is the LCNCA but heritage resources cannot be understood without viewing the larger landscape and contexts such as economic, settlement and land use, group values, and current issues.
Initial Focus Areas
Expand the membership of the HTT with a ranch of participants from archaeologists and ecologists to Native Americans and local history groups
Educate HTT members through literature and site visits
Become familiar with the approved Resources Management Plan decisions and actions
Larger Questions to Explore
How can management actions and/or treatments on the ground mitigate impacts of climate change to and build resiliency for the future of these resources? Conversely, can cultural resources including oral history provide information about climate and land use from the past?
Can we identify critical thresholds for how actions or treatments related to vegetation, erosion control, recreational uses, etc. impact or benefit these resources
What kinds of appropriate and active uses can be planned and managed for heritage resources ranging from access to plants to interpreting specific locations?
What specific actions need to be taken to stabilize and protect sites and their contexts? Is additional survey work or study needed? How should sites be monitored?
While noting the government-to-government relationships in tribal consultation, is an appropriate dialogue in place for the LCNCA?
Can what we learn at the LCNCA about cultural resources in the changing grasslands ecosystem be applied elsewhere?
Approach
Meetings: After an initial fieldtrip, the HTT will meet quarterly with a specific agenda that reflects:
BLM-generated questions that pertain to larger issues such as trends and the upcoming planning process or from project-specific actions and issues;
HTT-generated questions that pertain to the primary questions above.
Documentation: After each meeting, a set of notes will be distributed that detail any follow actions with recommendations to the BLM as appropriate. Final notes will be posted on the LCNCA website.
Communication: Beyond meetings, the HTT will have a listserv – insert address – as well as a password protected online workspace – insert address.
Role: Primarily, the HTT will provide recommendations to the BLM. As occasions merit, the HTT may participate with other LCNCA technical groups, other heritage organizations, and may organize specific workshops, field trips, or public days. Any specific actions on the LCNCA will require BLM consultation and/or approval.