Heritage at Risk: Who else is out there?

A frequent question we get asked during HMS Florida workshops is who else is doing this kind of work? Or phrased another way, who else is engaging local communities to address heritage at risk from climate change impacts?

HMS Florida Cemetery SLR map, logo, and new ARCHES portal.

 I started putting together a list of other programs, mainly international teams addressing heritage at risk in other countries. THIS LIST IS A WORK IN PROGRESS! Over the summer I hope to add and update program information. Please leave a comment below if your favorite program is not on the list.


SCAPE/SCHARP (Scotland)

Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion (SCAPE) directed by Tom Dawson and Joanna Hambly out of St. Andrews University. Their Scotland's Coastal Heritage at Risk Project (SCHARP) asked the public to explore a sites at risk map, help survey sites on the map using the ShoreUPDATE app, and request to revisit high priority areas over 3 years. Their Results and Highlights page captures work done over four years by 1200 volunteers, including 1074 ShoreUPDATE surveys and 400 new sites recorded. Tom and Joanna remain close friends of FPAN and have traveled twice so far to assist with the development of HMS Florida and the Tidally United Summit held each summer.

Click image or here to view SCHARP Sites at Risk map.

For more information on SCAPE:
Website http://www.scapetrust.org
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ScotlandsCoastalHeritageAtRisk
Twitter https://twitter.com/CoastArch 


CITiZAN (England)

Click image or here to see CITiZAN Sites at Risk map.

The Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network (CITiZAN) is similar to SCAPE but focused on coastal sites in England. They have a similar interactive map the public can use to monitor sites and submit survey reports. Their most recent site report on the blog is very similar to Spring Break Wreck discovery in St. Augustine, a wreck uncovered by heavy winter storms. "A wreck on Blyth beach" is a good example of citizens coming forward with information for CITiZAN.   

For more information on CITiZAN:
website https://www.citizan.org.uk
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/citizan1 
Twitter https://twitter.com/citizan1

CHERISH (Ireland and Wales)

Climate Heritage & Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands (CHERISH) is different from community engagement-based models like SCAPE and CITiZAN. They did not release an interactive map for the public to submit reports but are working collaboratively across borders to assess and manage sites at risk with the latest technology. They look at impacts of climate change on cultural heritage but also broader impacts on environmental resources such as reefs. CHERISH (Ireland and Wales) It is in their work plan to train citizen scientists in later phases. The program does not yet extend countrywide, but instead is focused on six select counties in Ireland and four in Wales as the EU funding allows.

Click image or here for CHERISH project area map.

Click on image or here to visit CHERISH technique page.

For more information on CHERISH
Website http://www.cherishproject.eu/en/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CherishProject/
Twitter https://twitter.com/cherishproj


ALeRT (France)

ALeRT brochure.

Archeologie, Littoral et Rechauffement Terrestre (ALeRT) started in 2006 as a multidisciplinary approach to address coastal heritage at risk. Since inception they worked to develop a vulnerability evaluation form and ALERT App for monitoring and updates. I first heard about ALeRT in 2014 when Fernandina Beach planner Adrienne Burke first put their brochure on my desk (view brochure). Most of their website and social media is in French, but their "Archaeological sites and coastal erosion along the English Channel and Atlantic shores" blog post in English here is a good place to start to learn more about the program.

Click image or here for ALeRT distribution map.

For more information on ALeRT:
Website https://alert-archeo.org
FB https://www.facebook.com/AlertArcheologie/ 
Twitter https://twitter.com/AlertArcheo



REMAINS (Greenland)

Click for REMAINS field sites.

Sent to me via YouRube by Sara Ayers-Rigsby, REseach and Management of Archaeological sites IN a changing environment and Society (REMAINS) is an impressive program in Greenland. Citing climate change as the greatest threat to their 4,000 years of human history, the program partners aim to assess and further study (many by means of excavation) the 6,000 sites under the threat of Arctic thaw. The program is set to run 2016-2018 in partnership by the National Museum of Denmark, Greenland National Museum, and Archives and Center for Permafrost (CENPERM) at University of Copenhagen with funding by Velux Foundation.

For more information on REMAINS:
Website http://www.remains.eu/
Project log: https://www.researchgate.net/project/REMAINS-of-Greenland 

Other programs on our radar:

COASTAL- Community Observation, Assessment and Salvage of Threatened Archaeological Legacy (Nova Scotia)
https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/public-help-survey-endangered-archaeological-sites/

Midden Minders (Maine)
http://bangordailynews.com/2017/11/15/homestead/citizen-scientists-may-help-save-maines-ancient-garbage-piles

Society for California Climate Change and California Archaeology
https://scahome.org/sca-climate-change-and-california-archaeology-studies/

Thousand Eyes Archaeological Site Stewardship Program (Tennessee)
https://www.tva.gov/About-TVA/Volunteering-at-TVA/Thousand-Eyes-Archaeological-Site-Stewardship-Program

More to come!

Text: Sarah Miller, FPAN staff
Images: links to original content provided in captions