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U.S. National Park Service
As steward of many of the United States' most important cultural and natural resources, the National Park Service (NPS) is required to create background documents along with specific plans aimed at managing and protecting these resources for the enjoyment of present and future generations. An important aspect of managing cultural landscapes requires knowing the past of those landscapes. A historic resource study (HRS) project involves researching and presenting the history of a park. A HRS also attempts to identify and evaluate the importance of all cultural resources within that park. Researching and presenting the broader historical context of a park as well as its specific details is essentially important in making judgments about the significance of cultural resources in that park. Ideally, a HRS becomes a valuable reference document that aids park managers and interpreters better protect the resources and share their knowledge with the general public.