Archaeology and the National Park Idea: Challenges for Management and Public Presentation
John H. Jameson, Jr
National Park Service (USA), Convenor
For over one hundred years, the “national park idea” has inspired a myriad of resource conservation and protection efforts around the world. While resource conservation and protection have been the common goals of management efforts, the nature of these programs and the consequences for resource management and public presentation have been strongly influenced by cultural, social, political, and budgetary realities. The management and interpretation of archaeological records in these settings present unique challenges. This session will examine the cross-cultural relevancy and effectiveness of differing strategies for management and public presentation of archaeological materials and information. The discussions and conclusions from the session should be useful to resource managers and agencies in recognizing the effectiveness of a variety of management approaches and in not “reinventing the wheel.”
This session calls for papers that deal with management and public interpretation of archaeological sites and materials relating to:
case studies and examples of management and interpretation strategies in national parks and similar conservation areas
the primary motivations for management and public interpretation strategies (i.e. compliance to laws and regulations, preservation, tourism, politics, etc.)
philosophical background to alternative strategies according to cultural, sociopolitical, or budgetary forces and restraints
critiques of effectiveness of management and public interpretation strategies
papers:
Author 1 Author 2 Title
Aremu Early Iron Age and other Archaeological Sites in Yankari National Park. A contribution to the Development of Tourism in Nigeria in the 21st Century A.D.
Fowler Strategies for the Management and presentation of the Modern ‘Early Medieval’ landscape of Bede’s World
Gojak The Battle for Sydney Harbour: Defence, lands, public parks, heritage archaeology in Australia’s former defence reserves
Jameson Management and public interpretations of Archaeological Resources in the national Park Service
Jameson Archaeology and the National Park Idea: an introduction
Magne Archaeology and Rocky Mountain ecosystem management: theory and practice
Mytun History, politics and culture: the role of archaeology in British National Curricula
Powell Expanding horizons: environmental and cultural values within natural boundaries
Verhoef Heritage management and interpretation in South African National Parks: The Thulamela Project- a case study