National Park Service: Piscataway Park Cultural Landscape Inventory Grant

This project for Piscataway Park will focus on the documentation of the cultural landscape through field surveys, existing conditions mapping, and narrative descriptions. Indigenous cultural landscape products will focus on recommendations for future work.

Field Survey – Collect information about cultural landscape characteristics using the following techniques: use global positioning systems (GPS) to collect spatial data to accurately locate features; record landscape features and characteristics using digital photography; and create a character/condition log to identify features and evaluate field conditions and other notes.

Existing Conditions Maps – Prepare maps of individual properties according to cultural landscape inventory guidance.  All data shall be submitted to NPS in the cultural resource data transfer standard.  A geodatabase template can be downloaded from:  https://irma.nps.gov/App/Reference/Profile/2182526.  This geodatabase template contains all of the various geodatabase objects required to implement the cultural resource spatial data transfer standard data model.  The geodatabase contains all of the various cultural resource feature classes defined with the standard, as well as all of the feature level metadata fields and domain values.  The data transfer standard contains the minimum fields required but other fields may be added to meet the practical needs of the project.  Refer to the Cultural Resource Spatial Data Transfer Standards guidelines for additional information regarding the structure of the geodatabase and its functionality which can be downloaded from:  https://irma.nps.gov/App/Reference/Profile/2182518.

Narrative – Prepare Cultural Landscape Inventories that include the following: annotated historical chronology for the physical development (excel spreadsheet template); historical narrative that addresses the physical development and identifies landscape changes through each period; historical significance summary explains how the lands owned by the NPS in Piscataway Park meets National Register criteria, how it contributes to the areas of significance, and what the period of significance is; an analysis and evaluation of the landscape characteristics that apply to the property and indicates how the characteristics are related to the significance; and stabilization measures to improve the condition of the cultural landscape.

Indigenous Cultural Landscapes – Prepare a separate summary document identifying indigenous cultural landscape methodologies and recommended next steps as it applies to the Piscataway Park project area managed by the National Park Service.