RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date: Thursday, November 29, 1990

INCIDENTS

No incident reports today.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Cape Cod (Massachusetts) - Over the past two weeks, several severe storms have
hit the outer beaches of the seashore. As a result, Coast Guard Beach in
Eastham lost over 50 feet of beach and dunes. This erosion, however, led to
the discovery of an archeological site at the high tide line that is believed
to be of the Mid-Archaic period, which dates from 6,000 to 8,000 years ago.
These archaeological remains are unique because sand covered over and sealed
the entire site, thereby fully protecting it until the storm again exposed it.
The site, which was five to ten miles inland at the time of its occupation,
is the only one of its age to be found on the Outer Cape in an undisturbed
state (not tilled by the plow), and one of the few undisturbed sites known in
the New England region. A similar site was recently found in Newfoundland.
The site is being excavated by a team of four archaeologists from the North
Atlantic Region led by George Stillson. They are racing against time because
an unusually high tide which is predicted for December 2nd should completely
wash everything away. So far the team has found a prehistoric hearth, the
"living floor" of a wigwam or hut, evidence of a living structure, and
evidence of the making and maintenance of blades and stone tools. It is
already known there are more sites in close proximity; these will be
investigated as time allows. (Dennis Burnett, CACO)

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: No travel scheduled.

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Halainen at uniform poster and
  catalogue shoot, Nashville, TN (11/27-11/29).

- Branch of Fire: Hurd on travel to Southeast Region, Big Cypress and
  Everglades (11/26-11/30); Botti at Western Region FMO conference, Redding,
  CA (11/26-11/30); Gale, Norum, Broyles and Clark at "fire management
  for managers" cadre meeting, NARTC, Marana, AZ (11/26-11/30).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities