Virginia M. Parks

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1 Cultural Resources Team, 20555 SW Gerda Lane, Sherwood, OR 97140, Phone: 503-625-4377, Fax 503-625-4887, virginia_parks@fws.gov

Description of past and current involvement in public outreach and education

I have been involved in public outreach and education in the Fish and Wildlife Service for the past eleven years. While my major job responsibility is Section 106 compliance for a federal agency, I try to take advantage of opportunities to share the Fish and Wildlife Service’s cultural heritage through: hands-on activities at Refuge and Hatchery events and during State Archaeology Weeks (our Region includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, and the Pacific Region), designing interpretive exhibits, brochures, and other written materials; maintaining a regional cultural resources web site (http://pacific.fws.gov/CRM/INDEX.HTM), and developing a variety of public programs.

One major project that has been the focus of much of my allotted outreach time for the past two years is the Cathlapotle Plankhouse Project at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Washington State (www.plankhouse.org). This is a community-based project to construct a replica of a Chinookan-style cedar plankhouse similar to those that stood in the Cathlapotle Village (now an archaeological site on the Refuge) when Lewis and Clark visited the Cathlapotle people in 1806. In conjunction with this project I plan events, traditional skills workshops, volunteer work parties; develop numerous outreach materials, including an e-mail project update sent to an e-mail list of over 250 people; implement the occasional school and special group field trip (our staff resources don’t permit regular participation in field trips, but we do some special occasions); work with volunteers on a regular basis. 

I have been a member of the PEC since approximately 2000. I have participated in several PEC annual meetings held in conjunction with the SAAs. I was also a presenter in a PEC-sponsored workshop on educational resource trunks. I am currently the Oregon contact for the Network of State and Provincial Archaeological Education Coordinators, a role I took on about the time I joined because there was the position was vacant. I regret to say I haven’t been as active as I could be, due in large part to an overwhelming workload.

Interest in PEC membership

I would like to continue as a member of the PEC in order to support the practice and development of public education in archaeology, and identify ways in which I can make a contribution to its mission. I appreciate the network of like-minded archaeologists and value their experiences as a way to inform my own efforts.While -- like everyone else, I’m sure -- my workload shows no signs of lifting, I would like to participate in projects of discrete duration which produce concrete outcomes. I can offer my experience working as a federal cultural resource manager. I’m good at brainstorming big ideas, and I am skilled at writing and editing (and grant writing).

Area of interest: Teaching the public about archaeology through development of programs and visual materials.

Target audience(s): public, school students, teachers