ARM 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. ARM training is available to those who work on state lands including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida Forest Service (FFS), and Florida Park Service (FPS) staff.
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 (DHR) 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 more aware of the historic properties and archaeological sites that they manage. Those who take 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.
ARM training course material taught has recently been updated. Specifically, we have streamlined the compliance and review process and simplified the "Matrix" used to help land managers make decisions about balancing ground disturbances and stewardship of historic sites. The most important change we have made to our training program is the elimination of "pre-testing," or allowing the excavation of archaeological test pits without a professional archaeologist present. The revised policy reflects 1) our 1A-32 archaeological research permit standards and 2) a realization that pre-testing has not generated results useful for identifying and protecting historical resources. We anticipate that these changes will simplify the DHR Compliance and Review process for most projects.
Naturally, our training courses are always evolving; anticipate more revisions and updates in the coming year. We will make you aware of changes as they slowly become incorporated into procedure, but until then, note that newly-trained ARM Monitors hold the most up-to-date information. DHR strongly encourages that ARM Monitors trained prior to 2012 retake the course.
The training is held several times a year and consists of one and a half days of classroom activities, and one half day in the field. Training location rotates with at least one class taught in North Florida, Central Florida, and South Florida each year. Classes are free (except for incurred travel expenses).
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. Staff of other public lands programs may participate in training, but preference is given to those who work for agencies managing state lands. To register, please download and fill out the registration form, available in two formats here,
ARM Training Registration Form
Florida Forest Service and Florida Park Service staff may submit registration forms to the ARM training coordinator Paulette McFadden at Paulette.McFadden@dos.myflorida.com. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff, please send your registration forms to your training coordinator, Laura Jerome at Laura.Jerome@MyFWC.com. Note that your training request and travel must also be approved by your supervisor and your agency.
DHR Matrix for Ground Disturbance on State Lands
Please direct questions to Paulette McFadden at 850.245.6549.
Next Scheduled ARM Training Courses:
ARM training courses have been suspended due to COVID 19. Classes likely will resume this fall. Please check back periodically to see if new classes are scheduled.
(Updated September 2021)
Sample schedule of ARM Training Course:
Day 1: Florida Public Lands Archaeology
- 9:00 AM
- Introduction
- About DHR
- Background on Archaeology and Anthropology
- Exercise: Identifying Artifacts
- ~Noon Lunch Break
- ~1:00 PM
- Overview of Local Prehistory and History
- Overview of Common Artifact Types
- Exercise: How to Classify Artifacts and What "Type" Tells Us
- Overview of What Archaeological Sites Look Like
- 5:00 PM End of Day
Day 2 : Your Role in Florida Public Lands Archaeology
- 9:00 AM
- How to Record Sites
- How to Assess Site Condition
- Field Exercise: Site Visit
- ~Noon Lunch Break
- ~1:00 PM Archaeology and Land Management
- Archaeology and Federal and State Laws
- Compliance and Review and the Matrix for Land Managers
- How to Monitor
- Practice Scenarios and Q&A
- 5:00 PM End of Day
