CALO Expert Survey

OMB Control Number: 1024-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Cape Lookout National Seashore Cultural Resource Values and Vulnerabilities Assessment

Expert Survey

Thank you for taking the time to help us!

We are interested in understanding your thoughts about:

• Practice and policy challenges to cultural resource management and historic preservation in changing coastal areas;

• Strategies to overcome those challenges, including training and policy tool needs; and

• Criteria that could be used to prioritize cultural resources in decision-making.

We are also interested in assessing the adaptation strategies you would recommend for specific cultural resources at Cape Lookout National Seashore, as well as how you would rate those resources in terms of their significance and vulnerability to sea level rise and storm-surge flooding. We will collect these adaptation recommendations using a participatory web-mapping decision support tool that you will access via a link contained within this survey.

Participation in the study is voluntary and your name and email address will not be linked to your responses. It should take you about 45 minutes to respond to the survey.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: The National Park Service is authorized by 54 USC 100702 to collect this information. This information will be used by park managers to understand the perceptions of partner organizations concerning the cultural resources of Cape Lookout National Seashore. Responses to this request are voluntary and anonymous. Your name will never be associated with your answers, and all contact information will be destroyed when the data collection is concluded. No action may be taken against you for refusing to supply the information requested. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Burden estimate statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 45 minutes per response. This estimate includes the initial contact and introduction as well as the time to complete the survey questions. Please direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this form to: Phadrea D Ponds at pponds@nps.gov (email).

Section 1: Background and Experience

The questions in this section will help us to identify the type of employment, diversity of experience, and geographic region of resources of our respondents.

We would like to know a little about you.

1. Which of the following categories best describes the organization for which you work? Please select only one response.

• Federal government agency

• State government agency

• Local government agency

• Historic preservation organization

• Private contractor or consultant

• Academic institution

2. Please list the three primary duties you perform related to cultural resource management, with the estimated percentage of effort/time for each duty.

Duty _______________________ % of effort ___________________

Duty _______________________ % of effort ___________________

Duty _______________________ % of effort ___________________

3. How many years have you worked in your current position?

Number of Years ____________

4. How many years have you been employed by your current agency/organization?

Number of Years ____________

5. Please indicate the type of cultural resource management (CRM) or historic preservation experience, such as a government position, environmental consultant, or academic/research, and the number of years employed.

 Federal Government Number of Years ___________

 State Government Number of Years ___________

 Local Government Number of Years ___________

 Tribal Government Number of Years ___________

 Consultant Number of Years ___________

 University/Academic or Research Number of Years ___________

 Other _______________________ Number of Years ___________

6. Which region best describes where you conduct your CRM or historic preservation work? Check all that apply.

• North Atlantic US (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY)

• Mid Atlantic US (NJ, DE, MD, VA, DC)

• South Atlantic US (NC, SC, GA)

• Gulf Coast US (FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, TX)

• Caribbean US (PR, VI)

• Great Lakes States US (PA, MI, WI, MN, IL, IN, OH)

• Central US (noncoastal) (WV, TN, KY, OK, MO, KS, ND, SD, NE, IA)

• Rocky Mountain US (noncoastal) (MT, ID, WY, UT, CO)

• Southwest US (noncoastal) (AZ, NM, NV)

• Pacific Northwest US (OR, WA, AK)

• California US (CA)

• Pacific Islands US (HI, GU)

• International (Non-US)

Section 2: Landscape and Ecosystem Change and Cultural Resource Management

We are interested in understanding important cultural resource management challenges presented by a coastal environment and identifying strategies and information needs to overcome those challenges.

7. How do sea level rise and stronger or more frequent storms challenge current historic preservation and cultural resource management guidelines and frameworks? Please list the three greatest policy challenges.

CRM Policy Challenge 1: [open-end text box]

CRM Policy Challenge 2: [open-end text box]

CRM Policy Challenge 3: [open-end text box]

8. How do sea level rise and stronger more frequent storms challenge current historic preservation and cultural resource management practices? Please list the three greatest practice challenges.

CRM Practice Challenge 1: [open-end text box]

CRM Practice Challenge 2: [open-end text box]

CRM Practice Challenge 3: [open-end text box]

9. When considering the challenges you listed, in your opinion what strategies can help preserve cultural resources vulnerable to increases in coastal flooding and storm surge related impacts? Please list up to three strategies.

Strategy 1: [open-end text box]

Strategy 2: [open-end text box]

Strategy 3: [open-end text box]

10. What information, training, or guidance would you need in the next five years to overcome the challenges or implement the strategies you listed? Please list the three most important needs you have.

Need 1: [open-end text box]

Need 2: [open-end text box]

Need 3: [open-end text box]

SECTION 3. Resource Prioritization

Strategies are needed to adapt cultural resources in dynamic, changing landscapes. We are interested in learning about your perceptions of how to prioritize historically designated buildings.

11. How important are the following considerations in prioritizing historically designated buildings for adaptation planning on a 30-year time horizon? Please select one response for each item.

How important is it that prioritization be placed on structures that…	Not at all important	Slightly important	Somewhat important	Very important	Extremely important
have previously had a preservation treatment applied it.	1	2	3	4	5
have the least expensive preservation treatment(s).	1	2	3	4	5
are the least expensive to maintain in the future.	1	2	3	4	5
are meaning to a few people (e.g., a family).	1	2	3	4	5
are meaningful to a community of people.	1	2	3	4	5
provide significant tourism revenue to local communities.	1	2	3	4	5
are the most visited by the public.	1	2	3	4	5
have the highest scientific value (helps us better understand aspects of the past).	1	2	3	4	5
hold particular historical value because its uniqueness (e.g., only one like it; singularity).	1	2	3	4	5
symbolize something of national importance.	1	2	3	4	5
serve a programmatic function to a National Park site (e.g., a contributing factor to the designation of the site or listed as a foundational resource).	1	2	3	4	5
hold the highest interpretive potential to a National Park site (e.g., link to the site’s interpretive plan).	1	2	3	4	5
represent the foundation of a community (e.g., is the reason other structures were built).	1	2	3	4	5
play a central role in the cultural landscape (e.g., prominent).	1	2	3	4	5
hold an operational purpose (e.g., the structure currently serves as a visitor center).	1	2	3	4	5
are most vulnerable to sea level rise (severity of risk)	1	2	3	4	5
are most vulnerable to storm-related flooding and erosion (severity of risk).	1	2	3	4	5
will have the most immediate sea level rise impacts (urgency of action).	1	2	3	4	5
will have the most immediate storm-related flooding and erosion impacts (urgency of action).	1	2	3	4	5
are the most vulnerable due to deferred maintenance.	1	2	3	4	5
Other: [write in]	1	2	3	4	5
Other: [write in]	1	2	3	4	5

Section 4. Evaluating Vulnerability, Significance and Recommending Adaptation Strategies at Cape Lookout National Seashore

______________________________________________________________________________

In this section, you will be presented with a brief description of the cultural resources within two designated historic districts (Portsmouth Village and Cape Lookout Village) at Cape Lookout National Seashore. After you read the descriptions, you will be asked to click on a hyperlink that will direct you to the next segment of the survey. You will use an interactive visualization tool to rate the significance and vulnerability of 5 historic structures. After that, you will be asked to apply one of the following adaptation strategies using your best judgment as a cultural resource or historic preservation expert.

• Leave things as they are (if preservation treatments are too technically challenging or expensive, take no action and allow building to deteriorate as change occurs).

• Take offsite action (construct barriers like seawalls to deflect storm surge).

• Improve resilience (alter or modify buildings to withstand storm surge or flooding, including elevating structures).

• Manage change (plant vegetation to reduce erosion or build boardwalks to access buildings).

• Relocate (actively relocate structure to a less vulnerable location).

• Document and release (study and record the details of the buildings and cemeteries, and then allow them to deteriorate with storms and flooding).

• Interpret the change (talk with visitors or provide signs with information about how storms, flooding, erosion and sea level rise are changing the resources).

NOTE to Reviewers: The respondents will be asked to view five different structures (similar to the screen shot below). They will receive information about the history of the structure prior to reviewing (as cultural resource and historic preservation experts, they will want to know about the structure prior to making judgments about suggested adaptation actions). The visualization tool will allow the respondent to manipulate the images using activating GIS layers developed from the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) dataset.

Background Information

The National Park Service (NPS) is currently identifying adaptation strategies for cultural resources that are threatened by the influences of a coastal ecosystem. According to the National Historic Preservation Act, federal agencies with cultural resources that are designated on the National Register of Historic Places must “seek ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate” any adverse effects on historic properties. Further, the NPS must take into account the significance and vulnerability of cultural resources when planning for coastal flooding and storm surge (Policy Memorandum 14-02).

Cape Lookout National Seashore has numerous historic structures that were designated through district-level listings (Portsmouth Village and Cape Lookout Village). The arrangement of structures within the cultural landscape is such that not all structures are in their original locations and they represent different historic periods but the federal marine maritime is the only history explicitly specified within the park’s foundation document. Most structures within Portsmouth Village and a few within Lookout Village are vulnerable to sea level rise and storm-related flooding and erosion. During this exercise, you will be able to view sea level rise projects.

It is important to keep in mind that the sea level rise projections are simplistic “bathtub” models that do not account for any geological changes that could take place from storms, including hurricanes and nor’easters, but rather use current elevation to fill in the low lying areas as sea level increases. Therefore, these models have limitations and are only meant to illustrate one possible type of vulnerability so that you can consider possible adaptation strategies for dealing with sea level rise.

Many of the historic structures within Portsmouth Village have received substantial preservation treatments, contain interpretative signs and replicas, and are open for public visitation (including a Visitor Center). Structures include a Life Saving Station, a church, a general store, and numerous private residences, which represent different historic periods (colonization, civil war, post-depression). Descendants of former residents have organized the Friends of Portsmouth Island and gather every two years in the Village.

Lookout Village includes three separate sections: (1) the Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters; (2) the historic village complex (a Coast Guard Station, Life Saving Station, and small cabins); and (3) outlying structures (private residences). The historic structures within Lookout Village, with the exception of the Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters, are in poor condition (have not been treated beyond stabilizing) and are not open to the public; there is no interpretation except for the Visitor Center within the Keepers Quarters and the Lighthouse is open to the public between May and September.

Instructions

We recommend that you print this page to have as a reference when completing the next stage of the survey. Once you click on the hyperlink to the visualization portion of the survey, your answers to the previous parts of the survey will be submitted.

Once you click on the hyperlink below, a map will appear.

The map shows an aerial view of the landscape. National Seashore. You can zoom in and out of this view by clicking on the + and - buttons in the top left corner of the map. You can move about the map by clicking and holding the left button of your mouse then dragging the image.

You will notice red dots at the north (Portsmouth Village) and south (Lookout Village) ends of Cape Lookout National Seashore. You can zoom in and out of this view by clicking on the + and - buttons in the top left corner of the map. You can move about the map by clicking and holding the left button of your mouse then dragging the image.

You will notice red dots on the map. Each red dot indicates an area where a 360-degree image was taken. The dots are numbered and labeled and you can scroll through the list of images on far left side of window (you will see up and down arrows and white & gray dots; each dot is an image; the home button will bring you back to the full view of Cape Lookout National Seashore).

The image rotates so that you can see the resource in the landscape. You can zoom in on the image to look closer at the resource or other elements in the cultural landscape of the village.

Under each image there are two different sea level rise projections (Moderate, which uses the A1B climate projections, & High, which uses the A1F1 climate projections). 

You can view the current sea level by clicking on the year 2014, then view future sea levels by clicking on the years 2025, 2050, 2075, and 2100. Alternatively, you can view the changes by clicking on the slideshow link, which will slowly advance through the progression of sea level rise automatically.

Please click on this link to access the decision support tool (it will open in a new window; depending on your browser, however, you may need to right click and select “open in new window”).  

Structure 1: the Methodist Church in Portsmouth Village

The first resource we would like you to consider is the Methodist Church on Portsmouth Island. You can view the exterior of the structure with images 1, 2 & 4, and the interior of the structure with image 22.

 

Information about the Church:
The original Methodist Church, established at Portsmouth Village in 1840, was destroyed by a hurricane in 1899. It was rebuilt in 1901, but was destroyed by another hurricane in 1913 (along with a second church on the island; only the Methodist Church was rebuilt again (in 1915). With the help of the Methodist Conference, much of the time and money spent on rebuilding the church came from the residents of Portsmouth. The community cared about their place of worship and came together to collectively rebuild the church that was the center of most social events on the island. The church held regular services and Sunday school through the 1950s. The end of World War II and the opening of Hatteras Inlet led to the gradual and steady decline of Portsmouth as a maritime port, and church services were eventually discontinued as the island’s population dwindled. 

 

The current building features Gothic Revival-style elements and was assessed in ‘fair’ condition in 2006 due to a leaning foundation and brick piers in need of repair. Hurricane Sandy (2012) further damaged the structure (leaning and weakness in walls), closing it to the public. In 2013, funding as part of the Hurricane Sandy recovery effort was used to stabilize and straighten the church. The preservation work was performed by the National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center. 

 

The church is furnished with many original elements including the pews, pulpit, and organ; no additional exhibits were added during the 2009 exhibit plan to not intrude on its historic character or conflict with the religious significance of the church. A partner organization, Friends of Portsmouth Island, uses volunteers to regularly clean the inside and holds regular “homecoming” events at the church (hosted every two years); the church has also been used occasionally for baptisms and weddings. 

Consider a 20 to 30 year planning horizon when answering the following questions. Please select one response for each item.

12. How IMPORTANT is this resource to each of the following:

a. National Heritage

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

b. Local Communities

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

13. How VULNERABLE is this resource to Sea Level Rise?

Very low vulnerability

Low vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability

High vulnerability

Very high vulnerability

14. How CERTAIN are you that the resource will be impacted?

Not at all certain

Not very certain

Fairly certain

Very certain

15. What is the PRIORITY of taking action to maintain this resource?

Very low priority

Low priority

Moderate priority

High priority

Very high priority

16. What ADAPTATION STRATEGY do you recommend for this resource?

Leave things as they are

Take offsite action

Improve resilience

Manage change

Relocate

Document and release

Interpret the change

Other: ______________________________

17. To what extent will this strategy affect the cultural landscape of the historic district?

Substantially detract

Slightly detract

No change

Slightly enhance

Substantially enhance

Unsure

Structure 2: the Life-Saving Station in Portsmouth Village

The next resource we would like you to consider is the Life-Saving Station on Portsmouth Island. You can view the exterior of the structure by observing sites 7, 9, 18 & 19 and the interior of the structure with site 17.

Information about the Portsmouth Island Life-Saving Station:

The federal government expanded its role in ensuring maritime safety with the construction of new and larger lighthouses and establishment of the Life-Saving Service and a U.S. Army Signal Corps weather observation station. The Life-Saving Station, built in 1894, illustrates the importance of Portsmouth Village during early US maritime history, which was a robust sea village between the mid-1700s and the mid-1800s providing "lightering" services (i.e., unloading of shipping vessels) to transport goods on smaller vessels through the shallow Ocracoke Inlet.

The Life-Saving Station was a source of employment and influence in the Portsmouth community, with crews made up from local citizens. A nightly guard scanned the waters for vessels in trouble and foot patrols walked the ocean beaches; the crews assisted over 85 vessels. It was used as a hunting and fishing club after being decommissioned by the US Coast Guard in 1937.

The current building is open to public, with interpretation on the life and jobs of those employed by US Life-Saving Service and replicas of boats and equipment used to assist stranded and wrecked vessels. The complex of structures around the Life-Saving Station includes a summer kitchen that is currently used to house volunteers who staff the Portsmouth Island Visitor Center between May and October.

18. How IMPORTANT is this resource to each of the following:

a. National Heritage

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

b. Local Communities

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

19. How VULNERABLE is this resource to Sea Level Rise?

Very low vulnerability

Low vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability

High vulnerability

Very high vulnerability

20. How CERTAIN are you that the resource will be impacted?

Not at all certain

Not very certain

Fairly certain

Very certain

21. What is the PRIORITY of taking action to maintain this resource?

Very low priority

Low priority

Moderate priority

High priority

Very high priority

22. What ADAPTATION STRATEGY do you recommend for this resource?

Leave things as they are

Take offsite action

Improve resilience

Manage change

Relocate

Document and release

Interpret the change

Other: ______________________________

23. To what extent will this strategy affect the cultural landscape of the historic district?

Substantially detract

Slightly detract

No change

Slightly enhance

Substantially enhance

Unsure

Structure #3: The Coast Guard Station in Cape Lookout Village.

The next resource we would like you to consider is the Coast Guard Station in Cape Lookout Village. You can view the exterior of the structure by observing sites 30 & 31.

Information about the Coast Guard Station in Cape Lookout Village:

The main station house (other contributing structures in the Coast Guard Station Complex include a galley, equipment building and storage building) was built between 1916 and 1917 on the site of the original 1887 Lookout Village Life-Saving Station, and provided office space and living/sleeping quarters for the station crews. From the watchtower, crew scanned surrounding waters for ships in distress within the Cape Lookout Shoals, the shallow waters that extend ten miles into the Atlantic Ocean that present significant shipping hazards. The Station operated until 1982. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

The structure is currently closed to the public due to continued deferred maintenance. It has previously been used by the North Carolina Maritime Museum as a field school (during National Park Service ownership).

24. How IMPORTANT is this resource to each of the following:

a. National Heritage

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

b. Local Communities

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

25. How VULNERABLE is this resource to Sea Level Rise?

Very low vulnerability

Low vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability

High vulnerability

Very high vulnerability

26. How CERTAIN are you that the resource will be impacted?

Not at all certain

Not very certain

Fairly certain

Very certain

27. What is the PRIORITY of taking action to maintain this resource?

Very low priority

Low priority

Moderate priority

High priority

Very high priority

28. What ADAPTATION STRATEGY do you recommend for this resource?

Leave things as they are

Take offsite action

Improve resilience

Manage change

Relocate

Document and release

Interpret the change

Other: ______________________________

29. To what extent will this strategy affect the cultural landscape of the historic district?

Substantially detract

Slightly detract

No change

Slightly enhance

Substantially enhance

Unsure

Structure #4: the Coca-Cola House in Cape Lookout Village

The next resource we would like you to consider is the Coca-Cola House in Cape Lookout Village. You can view the exterior of the structure by observing site 38.

Information about the Coca-Cola House in Cape Lookout Village:

The Seifert-Davis house, commonly known as the Coca-Cola house, was constructed by the Seifert family in 1928, who held stock in the soft drink company and painted red and white. It was one of the first vacation houses in the Cape Lookout Village and was built by a non-Carteret County resident. The Coca-Cola house is a vernacular, utilitarian wood-frame house supported on cast-in-place concrete piers. It was designed to withstand severe winds, including hurricanes and sited to take advantage of a wind corridor that affords cooling breezes, providing relief from heat and mosquitos.

The residence was purchased in 1953 by one of the more notable residents on Cape Lookout, Harry T. Davis who was a geologist and the director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences from 1937-1966. In the 1950s and 1960s, Davis used his home on Cape Lookout as a base for his studies of birds, as a retreat for the North Carolina Shell Club, and for other organizations. The configuration of the building was altered in the 1950s by the removal of the southwest and southeast sides of the original wrap-around porch.

30. How IMPORTANT is this resource to each of the following:

a. National Heritage

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

b. Local Communities

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

31. How VULNERABLE is this resource to Sea Level Rise?

Very low vulnerability

Low vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability

High vulnerability

Very high vulnerability

32. How CERTAIN are you that the resource will be impacted?

Not at all certain

Not very certain

Fairly certain

Very certain

33. What is the PRIORITY of taking action to maintain this resource?

Very low priority

Low priority

Moderate priority

High priority

Very high priority

34. What ADAPTATION STRATEGY do you recommend for this resource?

Leave things as they are

Take offsite action

Improve resilience

Manage change

Relocate

Document and release

Interpret the change

Other: ______________________________

35. To what extent will this strategy affect the cultural landscape of the historic district?

Substantially detract

Slightly detract

No change

Slightly enhance

Substantially enhance

Unsure

Structure #5: The Carl Dixon House in Portsmouth Village

The final resource we would like you to consider is the Carl Dixon House in Portsmouth Village. You can view the exterior of the structure by observing sites 14, 15, 26 and 27.

Information about the Carl Dixon House in Portsmouth Village:

The Carl Dixon House, a mail carrier for at least 20 years was constructed circa 1930 as a front gable structure supported on wood posts. Built by Carl Dixon on the site where his father had owned a house, Carl Dixon removed his father’s house down to build a new one. The front porch has a hip roof and is supported on brick piers. Many square dances were held at the house. The house was occupied through the historic lease program and underwent the following changes since 1979: removal of the front porch, addition of a widow’s walk, replacement of the roof and changed paint color from yellow to white.

36. How IMPORTANT is this resource to each of the following:

a. National Heritage

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

b. Local Communities

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

37. How VULNERABLE is this resource to Sea Level Rise?

Very low vulnerability

Low vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability

High vulnerability

Very high vulnerability

38. How CERTAIN are you that the resource will be impacted?

Not at all certain

Not very certain

Fairly certain

Very certain

39. What is the PRIORITY of taking action to maintain this resource?

Very low priority

Low priority

Moderate priority

High priority

Very high priority

40. What ADAPTATION STRATEGY do you recommend for this resource?

Leave things as they are

Take offsite action

Improve resilience

Manage change

Relocate

Document and release

Interpret the change

Other: ______________________________

41. To what extent will this strategy affect the cultural landscape of the historic district?

Substantially detract

Slightly detract

No change

Slightly enhance

Substantially enhance

Unsure

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