SAA Statement on the Participation of BLM Archaeologists at the 83th Annual Meeting (2018)
We’re very disappointed that archaeologists from the Bureau of Land Management were denied permission to present their session on land management and archaeology at the SAA 83rd Annual Meeting in DC this month. Archaeologists from around the world were deprived of a symposium filled with valuable information about the tough issues facing land-managing agencies, and from learning about BLM’s innovative solutions to handling conflicts with development, using data to inform future land management decisions, and working with Native American communities to protect their extensive cultural heritage from looting and other threats. Preserving the US archaeological record is a charge entrusted to all Americans, often via our government agencies. BLM archaeologists handle large-scale, complex issues involving multiple stakeholders, and we were sorry to lose the chance to learn from their experience.
Susan Chandler, RPA
President, Society for American Archaeology
