Our National Treasures Are at Risk

Cultural resources — like ancestral Indigenous sites, Civil War battlefields and fossil-rich landscapes — are not just relics of the past. They are the foundation of our national identity, connecting us to the stories that shaped who we are today. Yet, these sites are increasingly threatened by a myriad of forces: climate change, urban development, vandalism, improper storage and accounting, and the pressures of rising visitation numbers, as NPCA’s “Cultural Resource Challenge” report points out.

With insufficient protections and funding to properly care for these places, we are in danger of losing parts of our shared U.S. history forever.

But we have saved national treasures before, and we can do it again.

Jimi Shaughnessy in Scotland

The author working at Gateway to the Atlantic Archeology field school in Scotland, 2013. 

Courtesy of Jimi Shaughnessy

I am a veteran who served as a Marine in the Iraq War and who has since earned a college degree in anthropology and archaeology. Ever since I was little, I loved museums and artifacts. I signed up for military service at age 17, and just before I entered bootcamp, I learned that the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad had been looted. In one of the worst instances of cultural vandalism in recent history, thousands of ancient objects were removed and the building destroyed. I was confused and furious. As a young Marine who wanted to emulate the movie character Indiana Jones and protect ancient relics, I wondered how this could happen. I and many other Marines took our duty seriously to assist the people of Iraq and promote a sense of democracy. Losing this priceless cultural history seemed to magnify the immense human suffering already taking place.

The shock and disbelief that such a treasure trove of human history could be left vulnerable resonated deeply with many of us. The fog of war didn’t allow me to fully grasp the breadth of the violation at the time. It wasn’t just the loss of thousands of priceless artifacts; it was the assault on our collective human heritage, since Iraq is home to the world’s first known civilizations.

Opinions of the Iraq War were divided from its inception and remain divided today. What struck me then, and still stands out today, was how swiftly the U.S. and international communities responded to that cultural disaster. Military and diplomatic efforts were quickly mobilized to mitigate the damage and protect what remained — much like the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program during World War II, when soldiers were tasked with protecting Europe’s cultural treasures from destruction. The MFAA tracked, located and returned more than five million looted cultural items. Since the Baghdad museum looting, many of the looted treasures have been returned, some 15,000 artifacts.

I soon realized that when it came to protecting our shared history, we were capable of responding with urgency, commitment and responsibility. It gave me hope. Yet today, as I reflect on the cultural resource challenges we face domestically — particularly in our national parks and public lands — I find myself questioning whether we still carry that same sense of responsibility.

Here at home, we also are at risk of losing irreplaceable pieces of our history and culture. Not by looting, but through a quieter, more systemic threat. Instead of war, the culprits are neglect, underfunding and a lack of public awareness. These threats may not make the headlines, but they are still dangerous, eroding our cultural heritage piece by piece.

Veterans, who have already dedicated themselves to serving our nation, could have a renewed sense of purpose in the conservation field. With support from the Post 9/11 GI Bill, I pursued my degree and have since worked on archaeology digs in Scotland, Staten Island and New York City. Yet, many others with a second calling in preserving and protecting cultural and historical resources are unable to pursue similar careers due to the severe understaffing in the National Park Service and the limited job opportunities.

Since 2016, NPCA’s Veterans Program has created meaningful experiences and connections to our national parks for veterans, active duty, reservists and military families. We respect them for their service to the country and consider them valuable partners and advocates in helping advance NPCA’s park protection campaigns. Through our community organizing and strategic outreach, we are growing our strong network of dedicated, reliable and passionate veterans equipped to help protect our national parks.

The Park Service is short-staffed by approximately 450 cultural resource positions, mainly due to a lack of funding to pay for these critical roles. Nonprofit organizations have stepped in to provide training to veterans in the delicate work of preservation, but without career opportunities in the Park Service, many veterans are forced to move on to different career fields or roles only tangentially related to their passion.

Recent legislation, such as the Get Rewarding Outdoor Work for our Veterans Act (GROW) Act and the MVP Act, which seeks to improve veterans’ access to outdoor recreation, demonstrates that there is a growing appetite in Congress to support veterans and their families with careers in conservation.

These bills are a step in the right direction, but they alone are not enough.

If we are truly committed to preserving our cultural heritage and creating meaningful opportunities for veterans, we need to address the root issue: funding. The National Park Service is tasked with protecting more than 430 park sites, all of which interpret, manage and preserve our nation’s history, even the large natural landscapes such as Yellowstone or Grand Canyon. Yet, the agency’s budget has remained flat for years. Meanwhile, visitation numbers have skyrocketed, placing even more strain on already limited resources. The GROW Act and the MVP Act can help highlight the dire situation facing our parks, but they are only part of a larger conversation about the future of cultural resource management in America.

We also are at risk of losing irreplaceable pieces of our history and culture. Instead of war, the culprits are neglect, underfunding and a lack of public awareness.

In the case of the Baghdad museum, our response was swift and decisive because we recognized the cultural value at stake. On our home front, the threat is thankfully not a war and is not a sudden crisis — but rather a slow, ongoing erosion. We cannot wait until it is too late. We need a proactive, collective effort involving not only government agencies and Tribal Governments/Tribal Historic Preservation Officers but also the public, to safeguard these invaluable resources before they are lost. Advocacy, education and meaningful policy change are critical steps to ensure that we are not just reacting to a crisis, but also preventing one from happening in the first place.

Just as we served our country in uniform, veterans can now serve it by safeguarding the cultural treasures that define who we are as a people. These places are not just landmarks on a map — they are living reminders of the stories, struggles and triumphs that have shaped our nation.

Let’s ensure that future generations can walk the grounds of our national parks, protect ancestral Indigenous sites and learn from the battlefields of the past. Our shared history deserves nothing less.

Celebrating Veterans Day

The National Park Service invites all visitors to remember our country’s veterans by visiting any National Park Service site for free on Nov. 11. Many national parks have direct connections to the American military, including battlefields, military parks and historic sites that commemorate and honor U.S. veterans’ service.

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If you would like more information about the Veterans Program at NPCA, email Jshaughnessy@npca.org

The intersection of the U.S. military and Native Americans is a multifaceted issue that reflects the complex history between governmental policies, military actions and Indigenous cultures, including the displacement of Native people. In addition, traditional archaeology has often led to troubling instances where the collection and management of Native American objects have overlooked the rightful stewardship and cultural significance these items hold for their communities. Archaeology as a discipline has historically infringed on the rights and traditions of Native American peoples, highlighting the need for respectful and informed policies that honor their heritage and autonomy.