Consulting Opportunities in Environmental History

By Lisa Mighetto, University of Washington – Tacoma

During my 15 years as a historical consultant, many people expressed surprised when I told them what I did for a living. Even some historians were unaware of consulting projects and the opportunities to work as a contractor for government agencies, museums, historical societies, tribes, companies, and other entities.

Many U.S. consulting projects involve environmental history. Natural resource agencies, for example, hire historians to write administrative histories and to document historical land and water use in specific geographic areas. Museums and historical societies hire historians to provide context for exhibits and interpretive materials. Government regulations drive some projects, including historic preservation and cultural resource management work that assists agencies and companies in complying with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Similarly, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) – and similar legislation at the state level – prompts historical research of the sources of contamination of Superfund sites. In the Pacific Northwest, endangered species listings have resulted in hired research for fish and wildlife agencies of early population distributions and historical habitat conditions. And attorneys sometimes hire environmental historians to serve as expert witnesses in Native American treaty rights and natural resource allocation cases. My favorite projects included researching the historical use of marine resources in the Pribilof Islands, surveying historical salmon-passage facilities at several hydroelectric projects, writing a history of the Klondike Gold Rush, and setting up a personal library – which included many environmental history titles – for a former Microsoft executive.

These projects can vary in duration from a few weeks to several years. Some history consultants devote full time to their projects, while others, including historians at universities, work as part-time consultants. The products of these temporary jobs range from book-length histories and short reports to brochures and interpretive materials. Frequently the “deliverables” for my projects also included copies of historical documents as well as oral history transcripts.

While consulting is not for everyone, there are a number of advantages. The great variety of projects available might appeal to some scholars, while the opportunity to collaborate with consultants from other disciplines, including scientists and engineers, is another benefit. And sometimes consulting projects produce reports that can later be developed into published books or articles. The drawbacks are related to the advantages. Working on a wide variety of projects simultaneously can lead to burnout. Another disadvantage to consulting is the lack of autonomy and independence, which some academics might find disturbing. Even consultants that are not collaborating with other professionals must confer with their clients. Although clients cannot dictate the conclusions for a project, they often help shape the questions and perimeters.

Historians interested in consulting will find a variety of skills useful. Not surprisingly, the ability to write well is very valuable. Research, too, must be conducted in an efficient, yet thorough and accurate, manner. Experience using a variety of archives and records is helpful. These are skills that serve all historians well. For consultants, the ability to shift gears quickly and multi-task, adapting to the needs of a changing project, is also essential. Because most projects involve at least some interaction with clients, history consultants will find that tact, poise, and the ability to negotiate are especially valuable. For many consultants, a willingness to market and develop projects is also needed.

Government agencies list Request for Proposals for consulting projects in the Federal Business Opportunities website and other publications. History consultants can also be proactive and contact departments to ask about upcoming projects and to explain the advantages that history can offer. Some agencies and companies hire interns for temporary projects (see ASEH’s website at www.aseh.net/resources for a selected list). During the last several years, ASEH’s conferences have included breakfasts and sessions devoted to history consulting. If you would like more information, contact director@aseh.net

(ASEH News summer 2007)