A vision for Historic Preservation in Alaska

Alaskans respect our collective heritage. We view historic preservation as an essential strategy to promote our communities unique identities and as an important component of economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Alaskans are empowered with the knowledge and tools needed to advocate for an inclusive approach to preservation that is appropriately balanced with development. Alaska's preservation community includes a network of people from diverse cultures, backgrounds and disciplines. We work in partnership to identify, preserve, protect, an interpret the state's cultural, historic, and archaeological resources ensuring that our heritage is passed on to future generations.

Goal 1: Increase knowledge and understanding of Alaska's heritage and historic preservation programs.

Objectives:

1. Interpret archaeological and historic sites to educate the public and improve awareness of and access to information on Alaska's Heritage.
2. Create educational programs to engage Alaskan youth.
3. Support preservation in higher education programs.
4. Engage with older generations.
5. Expand efforts that focus on the history and culture of Alaska Natives.

Goal 2: Identify new and strengthen current partnerships to preserve and protect, educate and advocate for Alaska’s cultural resources.

Objectives:

1. Strengthen relationships with Alaska Native peoples and Native organizations.
2. Encourage coordination, cooperation, and collaboration amongst government agencies.
3. Expand opportunities for collaboration amongst Alaska communities, organizations, non-profits, government agencies, cultural groups, and Alaska Native organizations.
4. Develop new partnerships.

Goal 3: Identify, document, and designate Alaska’s cultural resources.

Objectives:

1. Conduct survey and inventory proactively.
2. Improve and expand cultural resource inventories.
3. Prepare more historic context.
4. Prepare historic contexts to more efficiently manage historic and archaeological resources.
5. Increase National Register listings.
6. Increase coordination and training among the professional preservation community in the identification, documentation, and designation of cultural resources.
7. Use current technology for the survey and documentation of Alaska's cultural resources.

Goal 4: Preserve and protect Alaska’s cultural resources.

Objectives:

1. Encourage appropriate treatment of cultural resources.
2. Identify threats to historic and archaeological resources from natural and manmade disasters and develop ways to take action to protect these resources.
3. Increase training opportunities on the preservation and protection of cultural resources.
4. Position historic preservation to be more fully integrated into land use decision making process.
5. Develop and implement appropriate curation and collection standards.

Goal 5: Increase awareness of the environmental, social, and economic benefits of historic preservation.

Objectives:

1. Promote heritage tourism.
2. Promote the economic benefits of historic preservation.
3. Emphasize the environmental benefits of historic preservation.
4. Promote the social benefits of historic preservation.

Goal 6: Strengthen local preservation efforts.

Objectives:

1. Educate local government officials and staff about the benefits of historic preservation.
2. Integrate historic preservation into local and regional decision making.
3. Strengthen Alaska's Certified Local Government (CLG) program.
4. Connect Alaskan's to historic preservation within their communities.
5. Assist Alaska Native governmental and non-governmental organizations with their preservation efforts.

Goal 7: Strengthen and expand financial incentive programs for historic preservation.

Objectives:

1. Increase incentives to foster interest in rehabilitation of historic buildings.
2. Promote existing programs for the preservation of historic properties.
3. Develop incentive programs in the private and nonprofit communities.
4. Make funding resources known.
5. Secure and maintain historic preservation funding for Alaska's cultural resources.
6. Develop creative options to fund historic preservation.