What is the HMS Florida Program?
Heritage Monitoring Scouts (HMS Florida) is a public engagement program created by the Florida Public Archaeology Network focused on tracking changes to cultural sites at risk, particularly those impacted by climate change in the form of erosion and sea level rise.
FPAN staff train members of the public to identify, document, and monitor cultural sites including historical cemeteries, structures, and archaeological sites and their conditions. The training includes locating appropriate sites, identifying cultural materials, like artifacts, and assessing site conditions based on possible threats. Trainees learn to photograph and describe sites, threats, and materials without disturbing these special places. They also receive training to use the HMS Florida Monitoring Database, an interactive, map-based website, to submit all of this information to be securely curated and used by FPAN staff and other professionals to help make smart decisions about these cultural resources.
Once trained, members of the public are official “HMS Florida Scouts”. Scouts can continue monitoring sites using the HMS Florida Monitoring Database with FPAN staff during organized visits, in small groups, or on their own.
Why Participate in the Program?
The HMS Florida program is designed to empower individuals to help gather information that archaeologists, planners, and others can use to make smart decisions with limited resources. We have many Scouts who use the program as a way to plan trips around the state to see new places or as an excuse to visit their favorite sites. Each Scout Report adds to our understanding of the over 44,000 sites in our database and contributes to the care and dedication Floridians and visitors alike have for our shared human past.
How do I Become a Scout?
We are revamping the HMS Florida Training materials to bring you a fully-online training option! We hope to launch the new “HMS Florida Course Portal” later this summer, so keep an eye out for more updates here or on our social media pages!
If you want to sign up to help us test the new training platform, or to sign up for email notifications about the re-launch please fill out this form.
Have a question or want more information on this program? Send us an email at hmsflorida@fpan.us.
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Miller, Sarah E. and Emily Jane Murray. 2018. Heritage Monitoring Scouts: Engaging the Public to Monitor Sites at Risk Across Florida. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 20(4):234-260.