Site Host / Interpretation and Education Volunteer

FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a09SJ000003oYso

ADDRESS: 1824 South Thompson Street Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001

DATES: 4/21/2025 – 10/12/2025

DEPT: Forest Service

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Elden Pueblo is a 60-room archaeological site on Highway 89, 1.8 miles north of Flagstaff Ranger District, bordering the city of Flagstaff. A classic Sinagua Puebloan site inhabited from ~970 AD through 1275 AD, it was an important regional center connecting people from southern Arizona to the Colorado Plateau. Located at 7,000 ft elevation in the largest expanse of ponderosa pine forest in the nation, the site is nestled at the base of Mt. Elden. Its location along the highway makes it an inviting stop for travelers and has been used as an educational resource for over 40 years.

This year’s PIT volunteers will receive some initial training and orientation of the site and the local area’s history. This assignment is heavily steeped in archaeology and environmental education, with some cultural resource management. The site is an outdoor primitive site, with a tent, tables, storage shed and work areas. There are three components to this position:

Site Host: These are informal public days, held on weekends, May through September, depending on weather. Volunteers have a variety of displays to choose from and activities to offer, focused on tools, lithics, ceramics, fiber, plants, foods, toys and hunting games. Volunteers will provide informal tours and provide interpretation of the artifacts that weave the story of the Pueblo. Volunteers will also assist with site maintenance of trails, room blocks, weed abatement and wall stabilization. Weekend Ambassador Days are 4 to 6-hour sessions.

Education: The Project has a very robust education program. Working in an outdoor setting and subject to local school calendars, the season runs from late April through late May (4/21-5/16 for 2025), then late August through early October (8/25-10/10). Classes sign up for their programs, available M-F. In season, there (generally) are 2-3 classes per week. Class programs are four hours long. There are three core education programs offered:

·        Elden Archaeology: This is a hands-on, in-depth exploration of the prehistoric lifeways of the Sinagua people living at Elden Pueblo, tied to AZ State Standards. After a basic introduction to the science of archaeology, students embark on a site exploration, using observation skills to answer a set of questions. They then break into rotating groups, to perform excavations and artifact analysis with hunting games of rabbit sticks and atl-atl.

·        Humans as Part of the Environment: A broader look at human impact on the landscape over time through two lenses – fire management and roads. This program was originally developed to accommodate native American youth with taboos about being in an archaeological site. The program starts in the parking lot and is about a mile hike through the forest, studying the impacts of fire and various type of transportation on the landscape over time.

·        Youth as Stewards: This is a work-service program, conducted in two parts – 1) maintenance work on the pueblo and 2) field survey, including mapping and artifact analysis.

There are also Scout Workshops held semi-annually, with possibly Traveling Trunk Scout workshop at Girl Scout summer camps in June and July.

Site Monitoring: Field survey and site monitoring may be assigned with district archaeologists or volunteer survey teams, as needed and when time allows, throughout the assignment period.

Volunteer may be asked to assist with special project, youth events and outreach events.

Work Environment:

All work is performed outdoors. Participants must be comfortable volunteering in variable weather conditions. Duties can take place during the week or weekends, in daylight hours.

Housing:

Trailer pad in a volunteer campground with additional sites occupied by other volunteers. 30 amp service, water, sewer, laundry on site

Potable water may not be available until May 1.

Volunteers will be asked to work an average of 24 hours per week, but hours could fluctuate depending on needs.

Summer recreation abounds in this location; access to trails, hiking, biking, birding, wildlife viewing. Located right off Highway 89, grocery, goods and services easily available.

Tagged as: SPRING '25, SUMMER '25