Education

Bureau of Archaeological Research Training

BAR Training BAR Training BAR Training

Due to Florida's long-term and successful environmental lands acquisition program, the preservation and protection of many archaeological sites rest with public land managers. As part of responsible management required by state and /or federal laws, land managers and those involved in the decision making process should be aware of the types of archaeological resources in their stewardship and should be knowledgeable of the best management practices for these sites. In response to the growing need to assist land managers in protecting cultural resources, the Bureau of Archaeological Research (BAR), in conjunction with the Florida Park Service, developed Archaeological Resource Management (ARM) training to assist state land managers with management of the state's irreplaceable archaeological resources, which include pre-European mound sites, villages, and camps, colonial settlements, battlefields, and submerged sites.

The ARM training course introduces state land managers to the nature of archaeological resources, Florida archaeology, and the role of the Division of Historical Resources and Bureau of Archaeological Research in management of state owned archaeological resources. Participants will gain a better understanding of the requirements of State and Federal laws with regard to protecting and managing archaeological sites on state managed lands. They also will become better aware of the historic properties and archaeological sites that they manage. Finally, attendees also learn how and when to monitor and pre-test ground-disturbing projects on their managed areas.

To successfully complete the course, participants must carry out a small field exercise getting to know the archaeological sites on properties that they manage. Those who successfully finish the training will receive a certificate recognizing their ability to conduct limited monitoring activities in accordance with review and compliance recommendations, thereby reducing the time and money spent to comply with state regulations.

The training is held several times a year and consists of two days of classroom activities, and a third day that involves a fieldwork exercise to gain hands-on experience in the application of archaeological methodology. There will be three trainings this year. One in south Florida, one in central Florida, and one in north Florida. Classes are free (except for incurred travel expenses).View a sample schedule.

There are a limited number of openings available for each training session and those wishing to attend will be admitted on a first-come-first-served basis; however preference is given to those in land management positions. To register, please download and fill out the registration form in either Microsoft Word (regform.doc) or Adobe PDF format (refgorm.pdf). Interested Florida Park Service staff must submit their request and registration form to their supervisor and district training coordinator. Interested Division of Forestry staff should make their request through their supervisor and David Speake at speaked@doacs.state.fl.us. Interested Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff should make their requests through their supervisor and FWC Training Coordinator Laura Jerome at laura.jerome@myfwc.com. All others may submit the registration form to the training coordinator.

Next Scheduled ARM Training Course dates:

South Florida ARM Training
When: February 20-22
Where: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
3109 E. Sunrise Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
Note on housing:
Housing will be provided at the park. The camp has bunk beds and community bathrooms. Students need to bring linens and pillows for bedding. We will not provide food service, but there is food nearby for lunch and dinner. You can check in any time on February 19th and check out is after noon on the 22nd.

Central Florida ARM Training
When: May 8-10
Where: Wekiva Springs State Park
1800 Wekiwa Circle
Apopka, Florida 32712
Note on housing:
Housing will be provided at the park. The camp has bunk beds and community bathrooms. Students need to bring linens and pillows for bedding. We will not provide food service, but there is food nearby for lunch and dinner. You can check in any time on May 7th and check out is after noon on the 10th.

North Florida ARM Training
When: to be determined
Where: Tallahassee

Useful information for participants registered for the next ARM Training course

Refresher Course for Previous ARM Course Attendees

The refresher course for previous ARM attendees is for those who have already completed the ARM training and need a review. Since the class has been taught for over 14 years, many of you might need a refresher of the material and an update to changes that have taken place over the years. Recently the Florida Park Service conducted a series of refresher courses that were required for Florida Park Service personnel to maintain their monitoring certificate. If you have a need for a refresher and would like to sponsor a class, please contact the training coordinator.

Upcoming Refresher classes:

No current Refresher class are planned at this time. If you are interested in hosting one, please contact the training coordinator.

Information and updates for ARM-certified land managers