How to Become a Site Steward

Thank you for your interest in the Santa Fe National Forest Site Steward Program. Applications are being taken until March 1, 2006 for the next training scheduled April 8 and 9 at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe. Forty new stewards are being recruited for the class.

Site Stewards have opportunities to work in assigned areas to monitor archaeological and historical sites for evidence of deterioration due to natural causes or vandalism on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF). The Forest is approximately defined by the area north of Highway 96, Cuba and Jemez Springs in the west, Cochiti and Santa Fe in the south and Villanueva and Las Vegas in the east. All six of the defined Forest areas are in need of new Site Stewards.

Site Steward has the obligation to adhere to the SFNF Code of Conduct for volunteers including compliance with a preservation ethic and laws at all times, adherence to confidentiality regarding sites, avoidance of conflict of interest with the program, etc. The steward is expected to sign an agreement with the Forest Service to abide by the Code of Conduct and the procedures in the SFNF Site Steward Manual. Steward responsibilities include visits to sites on a regular, assigned basis (usually every month); to report damage or significant changes and to participate as a team member in one of the Forest's six assigned areas. Site visits are always made with two Site Stewards; neither non-Site Stewards nor pets are allowed on official visits.

Additional criteria for the selection of Santa Fe National Forest Site Steward training candidates are:

1. 18 years or older and must not have been convicted of a felony
2. Willingness to drive to sites up to 100 miles each way, depending on the location of the steward and area chosen/assigned to. 90% of the sites require a high clearance vehicle for access.
3. Site visits may entail driving greater than 100 miles each way, depending on the location of the steward and area chosen/assigned to.
4. A history of involvement or strong commitment to either cultural heritage or natural resource preservation programs is very desirable. Candidates will be asked to provide specifics regarding the nature of their interest and length of involvement with cultural or natural resource programs.
5. Candidates participating in site steward field activities should be capable at a minimum of moderately strenuous hiking to access sites.

Candidate's interest in assisting with the infrastructure of the Program including assisting the Area Team Leaders, working with the governing Council and participating in educational programs is desirable.

The Program also has Affiliated Volunteer roles that provide possibilities for those who choose not to work in the field but are willing to assist with record keeping in the SFNF office, assistance with training material preparation, public outreach via newsletters and a web site, etc. With the addition of many new stewards, assistance with maintaining the infrastructure of the organization is needed. Site Stewards may also participate in these roles.

Many educational and field opportunities become available to Site Stewards and Affiliated Volunteers based on their affiliation with the Program.

Training is required to become a SFNF Site Steward. The first day of training introduces the volunteer to the program, law enforcement, examples of site deterioration, documentation and reporting as well as a field visit to a simulated vandalized site demonstrating techniques of evidence collection without further damaging the site. The second day presents the Site Steward Program plus an over-view of each of the six defined areas on the Santa Fe National Forest. The candidate is then assigned to an area in the SFNF of his/her interest and spends a day or more with the Site Steward Area Team Leader to become acquainted with assigned sites and methods of observation. Once trained and approved by the Forest Supervisor, the stewards are on provisional status for the first year. With satisfactory performance during that year, they become Certified Site Stewards with the Santa Fe National Forest.

The program is an organization of volunteers sanctioned by the Santa Fe National Forest, overseen by the SFNF Heritage Resource Program Manager, Mike Bremer, and supervised by the Site Steward Council. The program is similar to but is not organizationally affiliated with the New Mexico Site Watch Program administered by the Historic Preservation Division of New Mexico.

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Please complete the application and mail to:

SFNF Site Stewards
P. O. Box 31943
Santa Fe, NM 87594-1943


by March 1, 2006

Thank you for your interest in this great program! We are looking forward to hearing from you.