Tenth Tidally United: Cultural Resources Shoreline Monitoring and Public Engagement Summit
Tenth Tidally United:
Cultural Resources Shoreline Monitoring and Public Engagement Summit
Hospitality Suite, Abare Hall, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL
August 7, 2026
Registration is free but you must register here to participate in-person or online via Zoom.
***PRELIMINARY PROGRAM***
8:30am Registration, Ringhaver Student Center, Flagler College
9:00am Welcome from FPAN - Mary Minkoff
Introductions – Sarah Miller
9:30am Keynote Speaker - “This Place is Past Meeting Future:” Emerging Patterns in Coastal Cultural Heritage Vulnerability across the Apalachicola System, Nicole Grinnan
10:00am 10 years of HMS Florida, Sarah Miller
10:20am Break
Theme I: HMS with the Public
10:40am Through the Eyes of a Scout: Site Stewardship of Historic Cemeteries across Florida, Chris Nolan
11:00am HMS to the Rescue! Opportunities and Challenges of Heritage Monitoring Scouts on Private Lands, Mike Thomin, Rachel Hines, and Courtney Boren
11:20am Experiential Learning through HMS Florida
11:40am Open Discussion
12:00pm Lunch Break
Theme II: HMS with Public Lands
1:20pm Partnership with the St. Johns River Water Management District, Brent Bachelder and Christopher Kinslow
1:40pm Partnership with the BLM Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area, Sara Ayers-Rigsby
2:00pm TBA
Theme III: Training and Data Management
2:20pm Scouts are the Heart: Training Volunteers using the HMS Florida Scout Portal, Rachael Kangas
2:40pm Working with Arches to Support HMS Florida Over the Years, Adam Cox
3:00pm If Scouts are the Heart, the Database is the Memory: Managing Data with the HMS Florida Monitoring Database, Kassie Kemp
3:20pm Break
Theme IV: Research projects
3:40pm Monitoring Shorelines, Emily Jane Murray
4:00pm Day in the Field with the District, Robbie Boggs
4:20pm Open Discussion
4:50pm Closing Remarks
Speaker Bios and Presentation Abstracts (in order of agenda)
“This Place is Past Meeting Future:” Emerging Patterns in Coastal Cultural Heritage Vulnerability across the Apalachicola System
Nicole Bucchino Grinnan, RPA, Assistant Director, Archaeology Institute, University of West Florida
Abstract: The Apalachicola River and Bay system is home to a unique cultural heritage that is increasingly threatened by shifting shorelines, biodiversity loss, and other environmental changes. Over the past four years, a collaborative team of researchers has integrated archaeological monitoring, environmental mapping, predictive modeling, and community voices to better understand how these changes affect both cultural resources and the people that value them. This presentation shares preliminary observations from the most recent field season and explores emerging patterns across the landscape. Findings demonstrate how long-term monitoring and local knowledge can inform preservation priorities, planning, and collaborative approaches to heritage management.
Nicole Bucchino Grinnan, RPA, is Assistant Director of the University of West Florida Archaeology Institute and a doctoral candidate in History with a focus on archaeology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. A coastal and maritime archaeologist with more than 12 years of professional experience, her research examines the relationships among people, place, and environment, particularly within coastal landscapes. Nicole's work spans terrestrial and underwater archaeology, cultural heritage management, and community-engaged research. Her current efforts in Florida's Apalachicola region explore how cultural heritage can inform ecosystem restoration, resilience planning, and heritage resource management in coastal communities. Prior to joining the Archaeology Institute, she served as a Faculty Research Associate and Public Archaeologist with the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN).
Nicole is a Registered Professional Archaeologist, a National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide, a Florida Master Naturalist, and an Open Water Scuba Instructor. She currently serves the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) as Web Editor and the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) Board of Directors as Membership Chair.
10 Year Programmatic Review of Heritage Monitoring Scouts (HMS) and Tidally United
Sarah E. Miller, Northeast and East Central Director, FPAN/Flagler College
Abstract: Along Florida’s 8,000 miles of shoreline, nearly 4,000 archaeological sites and over 600 recorded historic cemeteries are at risk from coastal erosion and rising sea levels. The matter remains complex in Florida where despite the 20 percent higher rate of sea level rise compared to the global average, “climate change” remains politically taboo. This presentation will review the context and creation of the Heritage Monitoring Scout program, series of Tidally United Summits, and future directions for climate heritage in Florida.
Sarah Miller received her Masters degree in Anthropology from East Carolina University in 2001 where she developed archaeology education programs at Tryon Palace in New Bern, North Carolina. Upon graduation from ECU, Ms. Miller supervised field and lab projects with public involvement for the Kentucky Archaeological Survey, as well as reviewed compliance projects for the Kentucky Heritage Council. She serves as Director for FPAN's Northeast and East Central Regions since 2006, Editorial Board Member for American Archaeology, Advisory Board for the St. Augustine Historical Association, and founder/manager of the North American Heritage at Risk (NAHAR) research collaborative. She is a doctoral candidate in the University of Florida Historic Preservation Program. Her specialties include climate heritage, site stewardship, historic cemeteries, and community engagement.
Through the Eyes of a Scout: Site Stewardship of Historic Cemeteries across Florida
Chris Nolan, Heritage Monitoring Scout
Abstract: Florida has diverse weather, terrain, and obstacles, and each of its 67 counties contains historic cemeteries that need looking after. HMS Scouts are a first-line resource for monitoring and reporting concerns in these cemeteries. Chris Nolan became a Scout in 2017 and took cemetery stewardship to a new level, doing basics like initial recordings to establish condition and location and follow-ups to record changes and impacts, as well as recording previously undocumented cemeteries. In this talk, hear all about Chris’ adventures monitoring and recording cemeteries and the methods she uses to be the most active HMS Scout in the program.
Chris Nolan, a 71-year-old native of Louisiana, is a 20-year US Army veteran who served as a Morse Code Interceptor. After receiving an MA in History from Texas Woman’s University and moving to Anchorage, Alaska, Chris Nolan became involved in cemetery clean-up and maintenance in her spare time. Later, Chris moved to Florida in 2017, and as a docent with Charlotte County Library, she learned of the Heritage Monitoring Scout program. Chris became an HMS Scout in August 2017, and her level of activity in the program resulted in numerous HMS-related publications, presentations, and interviews. She won the 2020 Florida Archaeological Council’s Stewards of Heritage Award for her monitoring and recording efforts. Chris has monitored over 600 cemeteries in 31 of the 67 Florida counties. Since moving to New Mexico in December 2021, she has returned to Florida three times to continue working on cemeteries in Florida. Chris believes in the value of the HMS Florida program and is proud to be a cemetery steward!
HMS to the Rescue! Opportunities and Challenges of Heritage Monitoring Scouts on Private Lands
Mike Thomin, Rachel Hines, and Courtney Boren, FPAN Northwest and Cordinating Center/UWF
Abstract: In 2025, reports from members of the public led to the identification of suspected looting at an unrecorded archaeological site located within a privately owned nature preserve in Northwest Florida. What began as a local concern evolved into a collaborative preservation effort involving landowners, concerned citizens, Heritage Monitoring Scouts (HMS), Florida Public Archaeology Network staff, and agency partners. This presentation examines how volunteer monitoring and public engagement contributed to documenting and protecting a previously unrecorded site on private property. The case study highlights the opportunities and challenges of HMS Florida on private lands while raising broader questions about preservation strategies in the state.
Mike Thomin is the Director of Education and Interpretation at the Florida Public Archaeology Network’s Coordinating Center and a Faculty Senior Research Associate at the University of West Florida. Mike has dedicated nearly two decades to his career as a museum professional, specializing in public archaeology, heritage education, historic preservation, and nonprofit management. He has worked with local communities, state, federal, and international partners on heritage projects through grants and collaborations, both in the United States and abroad.
Rachel Hines is the Public Archaeologist for the Northwest Region of the Florida Public Archaeology Network. She works to bridge the gap between professional archaeology and the public and has over a decade of experience in archaeological fieldwork as well as education and outreach. Rachel earned her M.A. in Historical Archaeology, as well as graduate certificates in GIS and Historic Preservation, from the University of West Florida.
Courtney Boren is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) based out of Pensacola, Florida. She brings over a decade of experience ranging from field and lab work, collections management, reporting, interpretation, public education, and outreach. She has practiced archaeology in academic settings in both of Florida’s oldest European cities, Pensacola and St. Augustine, as well as across the southeast for regional, national, and international cultural resource management firms. She is passionate about the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage resources and natural landscapes at risk due to sea level rise, disasters, development, and looting. Courtney earned her M.A. in Historical Archaeology and Historic Preservation certificate from the University of West Florida.
Partnership with the St. Johns River Water Management District
Brent Bachelder and Christopher Kinslow, St. Johns River Water Management District
Partnership with the BLM Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area
Sara Ayers-Rigsby, Southeast and Southwest Director, FPAN/Florida Atlantic University
Abstract: Visiting a single site over the course of a decade can help us extrapolate what is happening in a region as a whole. For the past ten years, staff from the Florida Public Archaeology Network have collaborated with the Bureau of Land Management to document changes to the site from threats like erosion, significant storms, visitor traffic, and boatwake. These observations have contributed to land management decisions at the site to complete massive shoreline stabilization in the area. This paper will explore what we can learn from a single case study, and explore options for site stabilization.
Sara Ayers-Rigsby specializes in cultural resources management and historic preservation. As the Director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network’s Southeast/Southwest Regions, Ayers-Rigsby is responsible for designing educational outreach and programming for Florida’s southernmost 9 counties which comprise half of the state’s population. Prior to beginning her role as Southeast/Southwest Regional Director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network, she spent 10 years working as an archaeologist throughout the United States, with a regional focus on the archaeology of the southeast and Mid Atlantic. She earned her M.A. in Archaeology for Screen Media from the University of Bristol, UK, and her B.A. in Classical Archaeology from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. She is certified as a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA). Her research interests include public outreach and archaeology, resiliency, archaeological compliance legislation, and industrial archaeology in Florida. She loves visiting state parks, historical sites, and house museums in south Florida and is always thrilled to talk to others about them.
Scouts are the Heart: Training Volunteers using the HMS Florida Scout Portal
Rachael Kangas, Central and West Central Director, FPAN/University of South Florida
Abstract: Visiting a cultural site to monitor might sound straightforward, but once in the field, questions quickly arise. “What do I take pictures of?” “Is this site in good or fair condition?” “What should I note as a threat to the site?” Add to this questions about accessing sites, legal responsibilities, and ethical conundrums, and there is potential for great variation in site documentation and volunteer actions. This is why FPAN thoroughly trains volunteers (Scouts) to visit and monitor sites. Over the last 10 years, the structure and details of training have changed, but the mission remains the same: to prepare our Scouts to safely, legally, and ethically visit and monitor sites for HMS Florida.
Rachael Kangas is the Director for the West Central and Central Regions of the Florida Public Archaeology Network, based at the University of South Florida. She earned her M.A. from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2015 and is certified as a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA). She has participated in fieldwork in the Americas and conducted lab work and teaching during her time at UCF. She is also an American Academy for Underwater Sciences (AAUS) diver, allowing her to assist with underwater research around the state. Her specialties include Florida archaeology, public archaeology, and science communication.
Working with Arches to Support HMS Florida Over the Years
Adam Cox, Legion GIS
Abstract: Since 2018, the Heritage Monitoring Scout (HMS) Florida program has collected Scout Reports through an online database built with Arches, an open source cultural heritage inventory system. This presentation will summarize how our implementation of Arches has progressed over the years, and how the features we've added--like user registration, FMSF data import, and a custom permission system--have evolved alongside the continuing development of Arches itself.
Adam Cox is a geospatial software developer who has worked in cultural heritage applications of GIS since 2012. He has been the primary developer for FPAN's HMS database since the beginning of its Arches implementation. Originally from Wisconsin, he lives in New Orleans, Louisiana with his wife and their small, but mighty, cat.
If Scouts are the Heart, the Database is the Memory: Managing Data with the HMS Florida Monitoring Database
Kassie Kemp, HMS Database Manager, FPAN/Flagler College
Abstract: The HMS Florida Monitoring Database serves as the memory of the HMS Florida Program, neatly storing information from 10 years of site visits that can be recalled in an instant to view changes over time, create reports, or make management decisions. The Database helps HMS Florida Scouts locate cultural sites through an interactive map, access information essential for site visit preparation, and submit site photos and monitoring data collected during visits. This talk will review the development of the Database, show how it works, and demonstrate capabilities that make it an integral part of the Scouting experience.
Kassie Kemp currently serves as the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN)’s Database Manager for the Heritage Monitoring Scouts (HMS) Florida Monitoring Database and manages Scout signups and content in the HMS Florida Scout Portal. She holds a Master’s in Applied Anthropology from the University of South Florida. Her work focuses on public archaeology, database management, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Digital Shoreline Mapping Tools
Emily Jane Murray, Public Archaeologist, Northeast Region, FPAN/Flagler College
Abstract: While HMS Florida provides important means of tracking qualitative changes to coastal sites, staff with FPAN Northeast are also exploring methods for tracking qualitative changes. Staff documented coastal sites via shoreline mapping with a GNSS receiver and 3D documentation with photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning. By comparing data collected from sites across time, they can gain a better understanding of how coastal processes like erosion, accretion, and vegetation loss are affecting archaeological resources. This presentation will highlight efforts from the People of Guana and St. Johns Resiliency Projects, including coastal sites from estuarine and freshwater settings.
Emily Jane Murray is the Public Archaeology Coordinator for the Florida Public Archaeology Network’s Northeast Regional Center. In this role, she works on numerous community-based archaeological projects focused on heritage at risk, historic cemeteries, and 3D digital heritage including photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning. She earned a MA in Anthropology from Brandeis University, a Graduate Certificate in GIS from UWF, and a BA in Communications from Flagler College. When she’s not working with the public, Emily Jane enjoys riding her bicycle, traveling, and stitching away on various knitting and sewing projects.
St. Johns River Resilience Project: The Trials and Triumphs of a Day in The Field!
Robbie Boggs, Public Archaeology Coordinator, East Central Region, FPAN/Flagler College
Abstract: The St. Johns River Coastal Survey and Resiliency Project gave FPAN the opportunity to monitor sites along the entire St. Johns River, including some that hadn't been seen in over 50 years due to the remote and challenging conditions in which many of these sites were located. This talk steps away from the science and into the experience of being out in the field with the St. Johns River Water Management District. This presentation was originally given to the St. Augustine Archaeological Society in the Pecha Kucha format — a style where 20 slides automatically advance every 20 seconds — yet another challenge!
Robbie Boggs serves as the Public Archaeology Coordinator for the Florida Public Archaeology Network's (FPAN) East Central Region, based at Flagler College. She has been with FPAN full-time since 2013, working across a variety of roles that have included leading volunteers in cemetery recording projects, facilitating workshops, developing community-based partnerships, and creating archaeology programming for children and adults. Most recently, she expanded her fieldwork experience monitoring and mapping sites through the St. Johns Resiliency Project. Robbie holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Missouri. When she's not in the field or the classroom, you'll likely find her on a yoga mat or in her kayak.