Refuge History

PROTECTION OF ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Preservation of our cultural and archaeological resources is very important, as all are unique and irreplaceable.   They provide information on the events and processes that helped shape our community, and are valuable in providing us scientific and interpretive opportunities.

Because cultural and archeological sites are so fragile and unique, a number of federal laws have been passed to protect them.

The Archeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) makes it a crime to disturb or remove archeological resources from federal lands without a permit.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) does the same for the graves and human remains of Native Americans.

Cultural resources are defined as: Fragile non-renewable properties, including any district, site, building, structure, object significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. 

An Archaeological resource is defined as:  Any material remains of past human life or activities which are of archaeological interest, which means, capable of providing scientific or humanistic understanding of past human behavior, cultural adaptation and related topics through the application of scholarly or scientific techniques. 

You can have a significant role in the protection of the cultural and archeological resources on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge by sharing your observations with our office.  If you find an artifact please leave the object where you found it, record the location of the object, and if possible photograph it.

Last updated: September 11, 2008