Recommendations
I. Manuscript
Collections
A. General
Records collection by the National Park Service
during the d-2 period was less than adequate. A number of documents and
sets of documents were apparently destroyed. Others survived only by
chance and were then not adequately protected. During the course of this
study an effort has been made to protect critical documents. The Alaska
Task Force Files were placed in the Federal Archives and Records Center
in Seattle. The NPS ANILCA Papers, Cook Inlet Lawsuit files, and Belous
files were temporarily placed in the Law Library, USDI. The Alaska
Regional Office and Belous Clippings files are now located in the
Special Collections Division, Denver Public Library.
Records of operations of the Alaska Parks that are
currently being generated will constitute an important record. It is
urged that these documents, in both Alaska Regional Office and
individual parks be protected, and that normal purging activities not be
carried out. It is recommended that an orientation course regarding
importance of these records, their maintenance and protection, be made
available to all NPS personnel in Alaska.
B. NPS WASO Files, Cook Inlet Files, Belous
Files
All have been temporarily placed in the ANILCA Papers
for indexing and protection. Because all three relate primarily to the
effort to establish new national parklands in Alaska, it is recommended
that steps be taken to make them permanently part of the ANILCA
Papers.
C. ARO Central Files -
Inactive
These files should be reviewed by a qualified
professional. Material relating to the Service's ANILCA effort should be
assembled, and, through a special appraisal, be added to the Alaska Task
Force files in the Seattle Federal Archives and Records Center. Material
relating to early NPS activity in Alaska should be placed in the NPS
history collection at Harpers Ferry Center or the Seattle archives.
Disposition of the latter will be determined by a qualified
archivist.
D. NPS Files in Old Federal Building
Warehouse
A considerable portion of the twelve cardboard boxes
seems to be of little importance. However, four boxes do contain
material relating to the Service's ANILCA effort, or are illustrative of
its earlier activities. The records should be reviewed by a qualified
professional. Those documents relating to ANILCA should be integrated
into the ARO Central Files - Inactive for transfer to the Seattle
archives. Those relating to earlier activities should forwarded to
Seattle or HFC, and the remainder be disposed of as governed by federal
regulations.
E. Park Files
Those files described in the bibliography all contain
material relating to park operations, and the d-2 period. Most include
some material relating to earlier NPS activities in Alaska. It is
recommended that the various park files be reviewed by a qualified
professional, and that material relating to ANILCA be included in a
special appraisal and added to the Alaska Task Force Files in Seattle.
These records would be available on a forty-eight-hour recall. Documents
relating to earlier NPS activities in Alaska should be assembled and
forwarded to the Seattle archives or HFC as prescribed in federal
regulations.
It is recommended, additionally, that park staffs be
specifically and immediately instructed to destroy no records in their
possession.
F. Personal Files
A number of individuals have maintained personal
files that include material relating to NPS involvement in ANILCA as
well as the earlier NPS activity in Alaska. A considerable portion of
this material is duplicated elsewhere. However, most contain some
material which appears unique. As a result, it is recommended that an
effort be made to survey these files, and that material therein be
deposited in the proper repository.
G. Interviews
Time did not allow interviews for this study to be
transcribed. It is recommended that taped interviews be transferred to
HFC for transcription. It is recommended that permission of individuals
be received for transcription and that any restrictions on use that they
may request be honored. Several interviews were partially destroyed by
faulty machinery (or as likely, faulty use of the machinery). It is
obvious, moreover, that a number of people were not interviewed. It is
recommended that the Service undertake a program to supplement the oral
history of the d-2 period.
H. ARO and Belous Clipping
Files
These important collections have been placed in the
Special Collections Division, Denver Public Library. It is recommended
that after the library puts them in order, the Park Service pay for
filming of the collections and that the film be placed in Technical
Information Center, Denver Service Center.
I. Project Material
A considerable amount of materialxeroxes,
copies of bills, and publicationswas collected for use in
preparing this history. It is recommended that all material be placed
on file in HFC upon publication.
J. Further Studies
ANILCA will be a fertile field for historical study
for years to come. A considerable number of studies on the National Park
Service in Alaska remain to be done. Historic resource studies for
pre-ANILCA parks in Alaska badly need updating. Administrative histories
should be completed for those parks as well.
The Alaska Regional program has outlined an ambitious
program of histories that will include historical resource studies for
the new areas as well as a ten-year review of operations of the Alaska
parklands. This program should include, as well, administrative
histories of the individual areas. It is urged that the Service fund
these studies.
The Service should, also, assist scholars elsewhere
in preparation of a variety of studies that will be undertaken or
aspects of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of
1980.
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