Public invited to comment on future projects, activities at Effigy Mounds

Effigy Mounds National Monument Superintendent Phyllis Ewing is inviting public comment on six projects at the monument. “As part of our consultation responsibilities under sec. 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), we would like to inform you of six projects that we will be undertaking at Effigy Mounds National Monument within the next year.  The National Park Service consults with knowledgeable and concerned parties outside the agency about its historic preservation-related activities.  The purpose of consultation is to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects,” states Superintendent Ewing. Future press releases will address additional projects at Effigy Mounds.
The six projects include:
• EFMO-27373 - Sny Magill Ice Fishing Tournament, Special Park Uses
- All activities relating to this event on monument land are limited to the Sny Magill parking lot and boat launch area which should have no adverse effect on possible unidentified resources. U.S. Fish and Wildlife personnel will monitor activities to ensure no inappropriate use or access of the Sny Magill mound area occurs. Any inappropriate use will be immediately reported to EFMO’s law enforcement ranger.
• EFMO-27389 - Interpretive Walks, Hikes, and other Programs
- All outdoor guided walks and programs are conducted on currently developed trails and roads, no props or signs are placed on or around mounds or known archeological sites.
• EFMO-27384 - EFMO Exotic Plant Control
- The primary goal of exotic species control at EFMO is to maintain the landscape appearance associated with the mound building era. This goal is outlined on page five of the 1990 General Management Plan (GMP) under Natural Resource Objectives where the resources are managed to reflect the environment of the mound building era. The Natural Resource objectives state: “Restore and perpetuate the ecological conditions that existed during the mound building period to protect and maintain the burial mounds and their environs”.
- A project request for a Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) was submitted in 1998 and is currently awaiting funding. This request will be updated and resubmitted with an additional request for a cultural landscape treatment plan. Until such time as the CLR is completed, the monument is adhering to the management objects stated in the current GMP (1990).
- No digging of plants will take place and hand pulling will only be done to shallow rooted plants. Infestations and treatment areas will be recorded with GPS and related GIS maps will be produced to monitor effectiveness of treatments and keep track of infestations.
• EFMO-27383 - Special Park Uses-Weddings, Photography, and Filming
- Props normally associated with events such as weddings (rice, bird seed, balloons, etc.) are prohibited. Most approved special park uses take place in currently developed areas within the monument. Walking off the hiking trails, which include the developed overlook surfaces, onto any other surface, including Indian mounds, is prohibited. Special organized group activity is limited to 30 persons or less; parking is restricted to the visitor center lot or Sny Magill lot - up to a maximum of 15 cars.
- Special park uses for group activities are not permitted in the park’s South Unit due to access being limited due to very steep hiking trails and relatively long distances to reach any open location in the unit. All approved special park use group activities at the Sny Magill Unit are restricted to the maintained gravel parking lot and boat launch area. Special park use permits require a $50 non-refundable fee.
• EFMO-27376 - Living History Moonlight Hikes
- These events will only occur in currently developed areas. Props and small tents may be used but at no time will there be any ground disturbance.  Locations of living history characters will be monitored to ensure continued use of these sites will not have a negative, cumulative effect.
• EFMO-26707 - Boundary Survey
- The boundary line fence has not been systematically inventoried for archeological resources. If any new permanent boundary markers are to be placed, or any are to be moved to new locations, an inventory of the ground disturbance will be conducted by a professional archeologist meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s standards.  All survey efforts will be coordinated with the National Park Service, Midwest Region, Lands Division.
The National Park Service (NPS) is consulting on these projects with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, American Indian Tribes known to be affiliated with the park land, the Iowa State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Iowa State Archeologist.
For additional information and to participate in the decision-making process, the public can visit online at the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/efmo. The public may also receive additional information from and send comments to the Section 106 Coordinator, Effigy Mounds National Monument, 151 HWY 76, Harpers Ferry, IA 52146. The proposal will be open for public comment until May 15, 2010.