Jewel Cave Historic Area: Cultural Landscape Report/Environmental Assessment, Jewel Cave National Monument

Quinn Evans Architects; Woolpert, LLP

The intent of this combined Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) and Environmental Assessment (EA) is to guide treatment and use of the above-ground resources associated with the historic area at Jewel Cave National Monument. A thorough investigation and evaluation of the historic landscape has been conducted using National Park Service (NPS) and National Register of Historic Places guidelines. The documentation of the historic significance and evaluation of integrity of the cultural landscape serves as a framework upon which treatment recommendations are based. The report provides park managers with a comprehensive understanding of the physical evolution of the historic landscape, and guidance for management of the site. The Cultural Landscape Report portions of the document have been prepared by Quinn Evans | Architects (QEA), and the Environmental Assessment has been prepared by Woolpert, LLC, to fulfill a contract with the Midwest Regional Office of the National Park Service. NPS staff members have contributed specific sections of the Environmental Assessment. This CLR was prepared according to National Park Service standards outlined in A Guide to Cultural Landscape Reports: Contents, Process, and Techniques, and The Secretary of i for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. The CLR/EA was prepared in accordance with federal regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality, NPS Director’s Order 12: Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-Making, and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Other applicable regulatory requirements include: Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988, National Park Service Organic Act, American Indian Religious Freedom Act, and the Archeological Resources Protection Act. A field inventory of existing conditions and landscape features, and interviews with existing Monument staff regarding management and maintenance issues at the historic site, was conducted by QEA at the following locations: the park administrative files, the accession files, the park library, maintenance flat files located in the visitor center, and the park archives located at Mount Rushmore National Monument. The Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzes the impacts on the human environment from three alternatives, including the no action alternative and two treatment alternatives. The Environmental Assessment portion of the project is being coordinated by Woolpert, LLP, a consulting firm that specializes in environmental planning. QEA and staff from Jewel Cave National Monument also prepared portions of the Environmental Assessment. Although the federal government has standard guidelines for the preparation of Cultural Landscape Reports and Environmental Assessments, there are no guidelines for preparing a combined report. The National Park Service has recognized that combining the two can increase the value of the overall document by integrating the information generated through the CLR with the in-depth evaluation process inherent to the Environmental Assessment. This improves and validates the recommended treatment while also combining the costs associated with preparation and printing.

Jewel Cave Historic Area: Cultural Landscape Report/Environmental Assessment, Jewel Cave National Monument

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