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Contact Information:

photo of Helen Fairley
Name:
Fairley, Helen C.
Title:
Sociocultural Program Manager
Discipline(s):
(Not yet specified.)
Research Station:
GCMRC
Work Address:
2255 North Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001
Telephone Number:
(928)556-7285
Email Address:
hfairley@usgs.gov

Biographical Sketch:

Helen Fairley is the Sociocultural Program Manager for the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, a division of the U. S. Geological Survey's Southwest Biological Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff has been Helen's home since 1978, when she moved here to pursue an undergraduate degree in anthropology. She traces her interest in anthropology to her upbringing in Uganda, Germany, and Morocco, where she was exposed to the wonderful complexities of diverse human cultures at an early age.

Helen began her career as an archaeologist with the U. S. Forest Service in 1979. In 1981-1984, as an employee of the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Archaeology Laboratory, she organized and supervised archaeological surveys and excavations throughout the Navajo and Hopi Reservations, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Kaibab National Forest, and other locations on the Colorado Plateau. In 1985, with colleague Phil Geib, she co-founded Plateau Archaeology, a private consulting business specializing in the prehistory of the Colorado Plateau. Between 1985-1989, while working on her Masters Degree in Anthropology at NAU, Helen directed archaeological surveys across the Colorado Plateau and co-authored a cultural resources overview of the Arizona Strip for the Bureau of Land Management and Kaibab National Forest.

Upon receiving her Masters Degree in Anthropology from NAU in 1989, Helen went to work for the National Park Service, first as field director for a comprehensive archaeological inventory of the Colorado River corridor, then later as the compliance archaeologist for Grand Canyon National Park. In 1993, she served on a six month detail to NPS Intermountain Regional Office in Denver, Colorado, as assistant to the Regional Archaeologist. In 1997, she became the Archaeology Program Manager for the Flagstaff Area National Monuments (Wupatki, Walnut Canyon and Sunset Crater National Monuments) where she oversaw the ruins preservation program, archaeological research program, and cultural resource monitoring program for the three Flagstaff parks.

In 2001, Helen returned to the private sector. During the following two years, she prepared a comprehensive archaeological research plan for the Colorado River corridor in Grand Canyon and served on the Science Advisory Committee for the Coconino County Comprehensive Plan. In June 2003, she returned to government service as the Sociocultural Program Manager for GCMRC, where she currently manages research and monitoring related to the effects of Glen Canyon Dam on recreational, archaeological, and other cultural resources of the Colorado River corridor in Grand Canyon. Outside of work, Helen enjoys hiking, backpacking, river running, reading, writing, listening to all kinds of music, and socializing with interesting people from all walks of life.

Project List

  • (Not yet specified.)

Publications, Maps, and other Products

  1. Draut, Amy E. and David M. Rubin. 2007. The Role of Aeolian Sediment in the Preservation of Archaeological Sites in the Colorado River Corridor, Grand Canyon, Arizona : Final Report on Research Activities, 2003-2006. U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2007-1001. [Open-File Report]
  2. Fairley H. 2003. Changing River: Time, Culture and the Transformation of Landscape in the Grand Canyon. A Regional Research Design for the Study of Cultural Resources along the Colorado River in Lower glen Canyon and grand Canyon, National Park, Arizona. Statistical Research Inc. Technical Series No. 79. SRI Press, Tucson. [Technical Report]
  3. Fairley H. 2003. Restoration and Cultural Resources. In Ecological Restoration of Southwestern Ponderosa Pine Forests. Peter Friederici editor. pp. 387-401. Island Press, Washington. [Book]
  4. Fairley, Helen C. 2003. Changing River: Time, Culture, and the Transformation of Landscape in Grand Canyon. A Regional Research Design for the Study of Cultural Resources along the Colorado River in lower Glen Canyon and Grand Canyon, National Park, Arizona. Statistical Research, Inc. Technical Series 79. [Technical Report]
  5. Fairley H. 2003. Holocene Terraces, Sand Dunes, and Debris Fans along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. In Grand Canyon Geology (Second Edition), edited by Stanley S. Beus and Michael Morales, pp. 352-370. Oxford University Press, London. (With Richard Hereford, Kathryn S. Thompson, and Kelly J Burke). [Book]
  6. Fairley H. 2003. How Much Change is Acceptable? The Dilemma of Monitoring and Managing Changing Conditions at Non-Renewable Archaeological Sites. Paper presented at the Colorado Plateau Biennial Conference, Flagstaff, Arizona, November 7, 2003. [Presentation]
  7. Fairley H. 2002. Geoarchaeology of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. In Culture and Environment in the American Southwest: Essays in Honor of Robert C. Euler, edited by David A. Phillips, Jr. and John A. Ware, pp.39-48. SWCA, Albuquerque. (With Richard Hereford). [Book]
  8. Fairley H. 2002. Springs and Humans: An Anthropological and Historical View of Ecosystem Management. Invited paper presented at the Ecological Society of America meeting, Tucson, Arizona, August 6, 2002. [Presentation]
  9. Fairley H. 2001. Geoarchaeological Research in Grand Canyon, Arizona. Paper presented at the 74th Pecos Conference, Flagstaff, Arizona, August 2001 . [Presentation]
  10. Fairley H. 2001. Cultural Historical Implications of Geoarchaeological Research in Grand Canyon, Arizona. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 2001. . [Presentation]
  11. Fairley H. 2000. Monitoring Visitor Impacts at Archeological and Other Non-renewal Resources in the National Parks: The Applicability of the VERP framework. Paper presented at the George Wright Northeast Region Resource Conference, Valley Forge, PA. January, 2000. [Presentation]
  12. Fairley H. 1999. Measuring and Monitoring Visitor Impacts to Cultural Resources. Paper presented at the NPS Intermountain Region Resource Management Conference, Corpus Christi, Texas. January, 1999. [Presentation]
  13. Fairley H. 1997. Cultural Boundary Dynamics on the Northwestern Kayenta Anasazi Frontier: A View from Glen Canyon and Eastern Grand Canyon. Paper presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Nashville, North Carolina. April, 1997. [Presentation]
  14. Fairley H. 1997. Grand Canyon Archaeology: Past, Present and Future. Paper presented at Archaeology in the Greater Grand Canyon Ecoregion Conference, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, Arizona. February 6, 1997. [Presentation]
  15. Fairley H. 1996. Tributary Debris Fans and the late Holocene Alluvial Chronology of the Colorado River, eastern Grand Canyon, Arizona. Geological Society of America Bulletin 108: 3-19. (With Richard Hereford, Kathryn S. Thompson, and Kelly J Burke). [Journal Article]
  16. Fairley H., R. Hereford, K.S. Thompson, K.J. Burke. 1995. Late Holocene Debris Fans and Alluvial Chronology of the Colorado River, eastern Grand Canyon, Arizona. US Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-517. [Technical Report]
  17. Fairley H. 1994. The Grand Canyon River Corridor Survey Project: Archaeological Survey along the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Separation Canyon. Report prepared in cooperation with e Bureau of Reclamation, Glen Canyon Environmental Studies Office, Flagstaff. [Technical Report]
  18. Fairley H., R. Hereford, K.S. Thompson, J.R. Balsom. 1993. Erosion of Archeologic Sites along the Colorado River, Inferred from Surficial Geology and Geomorphology, Eastern Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-517, Flagstaff. [Technical Report]
  19. Fairley H., P.R. Geib. 1992. Radiocarbon Dating of Fremont Anthropomorphic Rock Art in Glen Canyon, South-central Utah. Journal of Field Archaeology 19:155-168. [Journal Article]
  20. Fairley H. 1992. Recent Geoarchaeology Research along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Paper presented at the 65th Pecos Conference, Pecos, New Mexico. August, 1992. [Presentation]
  21. Fairley H. 1992. Grand Canyon Archaeology. Two 45-minute presentations to fifth and sixth grade classes at Christensen Elementary School. April, 1992. [Presentation]
  22. Fairley H. 1991. Current Geoarchaeological Research in Eastern Grand Canyon. Paper presented at the First Biennial Conference on Research in Colorado Plateau National Parks, Flagstaff, AZ. October, 1991. [Presentation]
  23. Fairley H. 1991. The Grand Canyon River Corridor Survey Project. Paper presented at the annual Pecos Conference, Casas Grandes, Mexico. August 1991 and to Northern Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society, February 1991. [Presentation]
  24. Fairley H., J.H. Altschul. 1989. Man, Models, and Management: An Overview of the Archaeology of the Arizona Strip and the Management of Its Cultural Resources. USDI Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Strip District, and USFS Southwest Region, Albuquerque. [Technical Report]
  25. Fairley H. 1989. Anasazi Settlement Dynamics in Upper Paiute Canyon, Northeastern Arizona. Unpublished MA Thesis, Northern Arizona University, Department of Anthropology, Flagstaff. [Thesis/Dissertation]
  26. Fairley H. 1989. Virgin Anasazi Ceramic Production and Exchange: A View from the Kanab Plateau. Paper presented at the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Sciences annual meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 15, 1989. [Presentation]
  27. Fairley H. 1989. Ceramics of Northeastern Arizona. During a two-day workshop hosted by Edge of the Cedars Museum, Blanding, Utah, I lectured to 30 professional archaeologists on the identification and analysis of Kayenta Anasazi ceramics. November 16-17, 1989. [Presentation]
  28. Fairley H. 1988. Cultural Resource Management Priorities for the Arizona Strip. Paper presented to the BLM Arizona Strip Advisory Council, St. George, Utah, April, 1988. [Presentation]
  29. Fairley H. 1987. Archaeological Investigations at Four Sites on the Shonto Plateau near Inscription House, Arizona. Northern Arizona University Archaeological Report No. 378. [Technical Report]
  30. Fairley H., P. Geib, M. Davenport, P. Bungart. 1987. Archaeological Research in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Year II Report, 1985-1986. Northern Arizona University Archaeological Report No. 1002. [Technical Report]
  31. Fairley H., P. Geib, P. Bungart. 1986. Archaeological Survey in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Year I Descriptive Report, 1984-1985. Northern Arizona University Archaeological Report No. 999. [Technical Report]
  32. Fairley H., J.R. Ambler. 1985. Navajo National Monument: An Archaeological Assessment. National Park Service, Southwest Cultural Resource Center Professional Papers No. 9. [Technical Report]
  33. Fairley H. 1985. Archaeological Research Gaps in the Kayenta Anasazi Region. Paper presented at the Arizona Archaeological Council, Flagstaff, October 1985. [Presentation]
  34. Fairley H., P. Geib, J.R. Ambler. 1985. A Research Plan for the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Northern Arizona University Archaeological Research Report No. 998. [Technical Report]
  35. Fairley H., M.M. Callahan. 1983. Rainbow Gray: A Distinctive Utility Ware in the Northern Kayenta Region. Pottery Southwest 10(2):1-6. [Journal Article]