Historic and cultural heritage sites have always faced preservation challenges, but recent actions to substantially revise portions of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) present an immediate threat with potentially long-lasting consequences.
On July 24, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) voted to move forward with significant revisions to the regulations implementing Section 106 of the NHPA. Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider the effects of federally funded or federally approved projects on historic properties. Collectively, these proposed changes will weaken existing protections for historic and cultural heritage sites.
Among other impacts, a few example potential impacts include:
- Diminishing Tribal consultation processes
- Reducing the ability of local communities to influence decisions about sites they value and wish to preserve
- Undermining heritage-related employment opportunities
- Affecting academic programs that educate and prepare future cultural heritage professionals
THEN is closely monitoring these developments and the broader conversations surrounding them. These discussions raise fundamental questions about how cultural heritage is identified, understood, communicated, and protected in the United States, as well as who has the knowledge, voice, and opportunity to participate in those decisions.
Heritage education is central to these processes. It informs the public and prepares professionals to work responsibly across the many fields of cultural heritage, including archaeology, museum studies, history, and community engagement. As an organization dedicated to education and outreach and committed to interdisciplinary collaboration.
THEN is a network that brings together educators and practitioners, including preservationists, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, interpreters, museum professionals, architects, folklorists, students, and community leaders. We connect those who research and protect heritage with those who teach, interpret, and communicate its significance. Through collaboration, professional development, shared resources, mentoring, publications, and the promotion of sound professional practices, THEN strengthens the educational foundation on which responsible heritage stewardship depends.
THEN believes this moment calls for informed participation, thoughtful dialogue, and cooperation across disciplines and communities. Education is not peripheral to preservation. It is one of the primary ways people learn to recognize heritage, understand what is at stake, and engage in decisions about what will be preserved for future generations.
THEN plans to join the many local, regional, and national organizations that are responding to this critical moment and working to ensure that knowledge, stewardship, and public participation remain at the center of how we protect and celebrate our shared heritage.
How You Can Help
Contact your state and federal representatives.
Do not wait for the formal public comment period to make your voice heard.
Stay informed.
Follow developments and prepare to participate in the public comment process once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.
Share reliable information.
Inform your colleagues, students, communities, and professional networks. Review and distribute the resources listed below.
Contribute your expertise.
Share your experiences, resources, research, and ideas to support THEN’s ongoing efforts to strengthen heritage education and the broader profession.
Join or renew your THEN membership.
Encourage others working across heritage and education fields to become involved. Building connections and strengthening our network are central to our mission.
Explore opportunities for collaboration.
Partner with THEN on educational initiatives, professional development, research, publications, or public outreach projects.
Resources for Further Information
THEN believes in sharing knowledge and resources. The following organizations provide information about current developments and ways to support heritage preservation and protection:
- Archaeological Institute of America
- Association on American Indian Affairs
- Cultural Heritage Partners
- National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)
- National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO)
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Society for American Archaeology
Thank you for your continued commitment to heritage education, stewardship, and public engagement.