Technical Resources

Cultural Resources

Cultural Resources Fact Sheet

Our Cultural Resources Fact Sheet page describes the important role cultural resources plays in support of the Natural Resources Conservation Service mission.

NRCS General Manual Chapter: Cultural Resources (Archaeological and Historic Properties) (GM 420, Part 401)
The Cultural Resources Training Series (Go to Agricultural Learning Service under USDA Employee Resources and log in)
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Link to the independent agency charged with overseeing the Federal preservation programs and providing access for private citizens to the review process
Directory of State Historic Preservation Officers
Directory of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers
Protecting Historic Properties
A Citizen's Guide to Section 106 Review-link to grass-roots guidance for private property owners interested in understanding federal historic preservation
National Park Services: Federal Preservation Institute - Historic Preservation Learning Portal
Links to the Past
Link to technical guidance documents for treatment of historic and cultural properties, developed by the National Park Service's Technical Preservation Services, the current list of National Register of Historic Places properties and guidances on care and treatment
The National Trust for Historic Preservation
Link to the nation's largest private, locally-based historic preservation non-profit organization and dozens of technical guidances and briefs on care and maintenance of historic properties
Society for American Archaeology
Society for Historical Archaeology

These documents require Adobe Reader.

NRCS National Cultural Resources Procedures Handbook (PDF; 994 KB)

Directory of USDA/NRCS Cultural Resources Coordinators and Specialists (PDF; 168 KB)
Contact information for NRCS' cultural resources coordinators and specialists in State and Regional Offices, Centers, and other offices

NRCS' Nationwide Programmatic Agreement with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (PDF; 439 KB)
NRCS' umbrella document for streamlining procedures to protect historic properties.

25 Simple Things You Can Do to Promote the Public Benefits of Archaeology (PDF; 18 KB)

Compilation of State and Tribal Laws and Regulations
State laws often require treatment of burial sites and associated resources, and most carry penalties for failure to comply.

In response to increasing concerns over the looting of cultural resources, including sites containing human remains and funerary objects, many states and tribes have enacted legislation and codes to project burial sites. These laws and codes often require special treatment of burial sites and objects and may have penalties for failure to comply. This project (the map) is a compilation of exiting state and tribal cultural resources laws and codes and we encourage you to review and comment, and suggest additional information and web links.

Click on any state in the map to view available information on its State and Tribal Laws and Regulations. The information contained on this websites is to provide you with basic information and is not a substitute for legal counsel.

These National Statement of Work Templates requires Microsoft Word:

Cultural Resources Evaluations (DOC; 35 KB)

Cultural Resources Archival Research (DOC; 36 KB)

Cultural Resources Identification Surveys (DOC; 50 KB)

Questions and comments are welcome and encouraged. Please address all correspondences to Sarah Bridges, NRCS National Cultural Resources Specialist and Federal Preservation Officer, at sarah.bridges@wdc.usda.gov.

Last Modified: 09/25/2008