Recording Treatment Work and Future Research Recommendations

The last and ongoing step in the preservation planning process records the treatment work as carried out. It may include a series of as-built drawings, supporting photographic materials, specifications and a summary assessment. New technologies that have been successfully used should be highlighted. Ideally, this information should be shared with interested national organizations for further dissemination and evaluation.

The need for further research or additional activities should also be documented. This may include site-specific or contextual historical research, archeological investigations, pollen analysis, search for rare or unusual plant materials, or, material testing for future applications.

Finally, in consultation with a conservator or archivist-to maximize the benefit of project work and to minimize the potential of data loss--all primary documents should be organized and preserved as archival materials. This may include field notes, maps, drawings, photographs, material samples, oral histories and other relevant information.

Developing a Preservation Maintenance Guide

In the past, there was rarely adequate record-keeping to fully understand the ways a landscape was maintained. This creates gaps in our research findings. Today, we recognize that planning for ongoing maintenance and onsite applications should be documented--both routinely and comprehensively. An annual work program or calendar records the frequency of maintenance work on built or natural landscape features. It can also monitor the age, health and vigor of vegetation. For example, onsite assessments may document the presence of weeds, pests, dead leaves, pale color, wilting, soil compaction--all of which signal particular maintenance needs. For built elements, the deterioration of paving or drainage systems may be noted and the need for repair or replacement indicated before hazards develop. An overall maintenance program can assist in routine and cyclic maintenance of the landscape and can also guide long term treatment projects.

To help structure a comprehensive maintenance operation that is responsive to staff, budget, and maintenance priorities, the National Park Service has developed two computer-driven programs for its own landscape resources. A Maintenance Management Program (MM)is designed to assist maintenance managers in their efforts toplan, organize, and direct the park maintenance system. An Inventory and Condition Assessment Program (ICAP) is designed to complement MM by providing a system for inventorying, assessing conditions, and for providing corrective work recommendations for all site features.

Another approach to documenting maintenance and recording changes over time is to develop a manual or computerized graphic information system. Such a system should have the capability to include plans and photographs that would record a site's living collection of plant materials. (Also see discussion of the use of photography under Preparing Existing Conditions Plans) This may be achieved using a computer-aided drafting program along with an integrated database management system.

To guide immediate and ongoing maintenance, a systematic and flexible approach has been developed by the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation. Working with National Park Service landscape managers and maintenance specialists, staff assemble information and make recommendations for the care of individual landscape features.

Each landscape feature is inspected in the field to document existing conditions and identify field work needed. Recommendations include maintenance procedures that are sensitive to the integrity of the landscape.