Mitigate Damage to Kijik National Historic Landmark
This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Services intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition to Nondalton Tribal Council for the amount of 88,000 to cooperatively complete the project described below. OVERVIEW the Kijik National Historic Landmark Archeological District with focus at selected prehistoric settlements that are at highest risk of damage from threats such as flooding from beaver dams or uprooting of cultural deposits from tree throws (blow down and uprooting of large, beetle-killed spruce). The project will include two integrated components; archeology and Dena¿ina heritage preservation. Dena¿ina traditional knowledge and traditional values will be an integral part of the work, as in a culture camp. STATUTORY AUTHORITY:16 USC 3101, ALASKA NATIONAL INTEREST LANDS CONSERVATION Act. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN: LACL has worked with NTC since the park¿s establishment to preserve the historic Kijik village and cemetery site and the larger Kijik National Historic Landmark archeological district. LACL and NTC both have missions dedicated to promoting knowledge and understanding, stewardship and sustainability of natural and cultural resources in the Lake Clark region through engaging and meaningful education and interpretive programs and visitor services. NPS and NTC will collaborate closely in the fieldwork, analysis, exhibit development and final report preparation. The project will involve Dena¿na community members, beginning at the planning stage and will be dependent especially on the knowledge of elders and the tribe. Dena¿ina participation will be structured as a culture camp so that Dena¿ina traditional knowledge and values will be conveyed. Collection and sharing of traditional ecological and cultural knowledge will be part of this program. Archeological investigations will include analysis of LIDAR bare earth imagery acquired June 5, 2013. This will allow identification of previously unrecorded sites and landforms of high potential and monitoring of the changing landscape within the NHL and site condition with regard to environmental threats and disturbances. Archeological records from 1966 through the present will be compiled to ensure that complete records are up to date in the park¿s archeology files and in ASMIS. Perimeters of the sites will be mapped, and distinct house clusters within large composite sites such as the Fish Pools site or North Kijik will be mapped with high precision GPS, allowing separate settlements to be distinguished. Detailed site maps, existing and newly acquired will be linked to a GIS layer for management and research planning. Excavation at sites will be prioritized based on threats and one house will be selected for complete excavation with the goal of reconstruction and development of an educational exhibit. The partner, in cooperation with the National Park Service will: NTC will collaborate with NPS to assign a PI (archeologist) and project coordinator (NTC) to ensure that The Secretary of Interior¿s standards for archeology are met and that Dena¿ina involvement is integral. NTC will oversee, with NPS, the analysis of LIDAR imagery, preparation of a detailed research design/work plan, coordination with elders and tribal members, field work, and annual report preparation. NTC will ensure that traditional knowledge and values contribute and guide the overall project. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT -Substantial Involvement :Provide archeological expertise to guide the work and data sets pertinent to the Kijik NHL. Assist with transportation to and from the study area and Nondalton and provide GIS land and resource information and expertise and field logistics as needed. Assign NPS staff as needed to assist in identifying, collecting and organizing research related materials and mapping of inventoried properties. Coordinate official communications with interested parties, Native corporations, as well as any other state and federal agencies that might have an interest in this research; this will include the coordination of the review and examination of the draft publication(s) and its/their components. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION: Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award . The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: Unique Qualifications: Single Source Justification Description: The Lake Clark region, specifically the Kijik area, is the traditional homeland of the Dena¿ina people of Nondalton. NTC is a federally recognized tribal government charged with managing the well-being of its tribal members, including representing them in all aspects of their relations with agencies of the federal government. The mission of the NTC is to promote, assist and provide services to improve the social, educational, cultural and self-sufficiency for the betterment of the Native people within the tribe and to preserve the traditional culture, language and values. The Kijik National Historic Landmark Archeological District (NHL) preserves the largest known grouping of Dena¿ina settlements and the most complete and intact record of the last 900 years of Dena¿ina cultural continuity and change. The significance of Kijik to the NTC cannot be overstated. Technical contact information: Jeanne Schaaf, jeanne_schaaf@nps.gov,907-644-3640, National Park Service, Alaska Region. End of FOA
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