Contract services for
Cultural Resource Management
needs
Quality
service in Timely fashion at Reasonable cost
Compliance
Section 106, ARPA, NAGPRA, CFR Part 79, MOU’s, DRP’s… Federal,
state and local regulations pertaining to cultural resources can be
confounding. With over 25 years of experience and nearly 700
completed projects in the Upper Midwest, MVAC can facilitate and
solve your Cultural Resource Management requirements. We assist all
levels of government agencies as well as private engineering firms
and developers, and residential customers. In fact, we have trained
regulatory personnel in understanding their own guidelines. We
customize our services to your specific needs, ensuring regulatory
compliance and project progression. Give us a call (608) 785-8451
and we will walk you through the steps involved.
Planning
Cultural Resources Management Services:
-
Evaluation of CRM needs
-
Coordination with federal, state, and local
agencies and tribal groups
-
Integration with GIS and other planning tools
-
Preparation of National Register nominations
and planning documents
Project Implementation
Prehistoric and Historic Archaeology:
-
Literature and records review
-
Field work:
Phase I survey to establish the presence or absence of
archaeological sites
Phase II evaluation to determine eligibility for the National
Register of Historic Places
Phase III excavation to recover data in advance of construction
-
Laboratory analysis and data management
-
Cartography and GIS data integration
-
Report preparation, submission, and
follow‑through
-
Permanent artifact curation in federally
approved facility
Environmental Archaeology, Geoarchaeology, and
Geomorphology:
-
Detection and analysis of buried sites
-
Soil coring and analysis
-
Paleo‑landscape reconstruction and other
environmental studies
-
Analysis of plant and animal remains
Historic and Architectural Studies of Standing
Structures:
-
Literature
and records review
-
Archival research
-
Survey, documentation and evaluation of
buildings and standing structures
-
National Register nominations
-
Historic Preservation Plans
-
Cultural Resource Management Plans
Public Outreach
Many Phase III projects require an outreach component in order
to share the information gained with the public. People are
fascinated by the previous inhabitants of their area, and we have a
national reputation for making archaeology inviting and exciting!
MVAC is one of the only firms in the Upper Midwest that produces
exhibits, public talks, school programs, and interpretive
information. Our public outreach products are of exceptional
quality, always benefiting the regional heritage tourism industry.
Reputation for Excellence
Cultural Resource Management Services in:
-
Archaeology
-
Architectural History
-
Geomorphology
-
Historical Archaeology
-
Public Education
We finish the project on time, within budget,
with satisfied clients that utilize us again and again. We have a
skilled and flexible staff, and an extensive equipment reserve. With
our help, your project will be completed in a reasonable time frame.
We are ready to meet your needs.
Competitive Cost
We have a solid history of successful contract
bidding. Since we specialize in the archaeology and history of the
Upper Midwest, we know what to look for. Our central location
minimizes travel costs, making us the cost effective choice.
Technology
MVAC has expanded its headquarters into an 8000
square foot Archaeology Center and Laboratory, allowing us to remain
at the forefront of technological innovations.
-
State of the art computers and field and
laboratory equipment for data collection, analysis, graphics
production, and report presentation. Programs include a variety
of word processing, graphics, statistical and web production.
-
In‑house experts in specialized studies such
as stone tools, ceramics, archaeobotany, archaeozoology,
geomorphology and sediment analysis. This means prompt and
efficient work, and better project management and integration.
-
MVAC also maintains an extensive type
collection of artifacts, faunal, floral, and lithic specimens
for efficiently carrying out studies of past environments,
subsistence data, and exchange patterns.
-
The laboratory and curation facility provide
resources for processing and analysis of artifacts, preservation
and long‑term curation for its extensive collection of
archaeological and historic Midwestern artifacts.
-
MVAC serves as a regional repository for
artifacts and records, and provides curation facilities for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-State of Wisconsin; the Ho-Chunk
Nation; the Department of the Defense-Fort McCoy; the US. Army
Corps of Engineers – St. Paul District; and other private and
state agencies.
-
MVAC has an extensive library of
archaeological, historic, and cultural resource management
books, reports, and maps with an emphasis on the Upper Midwest.
In addition, the collections of Murphy Library on the University
of Wisconsin ‑ La Crosse campus are readily accessible. Murphy
Library's Area Research Center maintains an extensive collection
of archival resources, rare historic publications, maps,
manuscripts, and photographs dealing with the history of western
Wisconsin and the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Collections of
all other major libraries are available via interlibrary loan.
-
MVAC maintains a direct link to the digitized
Wisconsin Archeological Site Inventory and Wisconsin
Architectural History Inventory; the database of the Wisconsin
Historical Society, providing immediate and current information
on all reported sites and previously surveyed areas. MVAC has
also teamed with the Wisconsin Historical Society and the
Wisconsin Department of Transportation to develop an on-line
pre-view version of the site databases for WisDOT planners.
Likewise, MVAC can access the digitized site records for the
State of Iowa, and has a history of following procedures for
site data base searches and license requirements in Minnesota.
-
The affiliated Geography and Earth Sciences
Department includes faculty who are specialists in geomorphology
and soil studies and have worked with MVAC archaeologists on
many projects. This department has a full range of soil coring
and testing equipment and is capable of carrying out detailed
geochemical and particle size analysis. It also provides
personnel, hardware and software, for complete GIS and
cartographic analysis, including up-to-date versions of ARC/INFO
GIS Software, and a wide range of other programs.
-
Additional resources are available on the
University of Wisconsin ‑ La Crosse campus including a Scanning
Electron Microscope.
Professional Staff
Our staff has earned MVAC the reputation of one
of the top cultural resource organizations in the Midwest. We have a
permanent staff of 12, with 7 full time archaeologists.
Six senior staff with advanced degrees in
Archaeology or Geography are qualified to serve as Principal
Investigators under the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and
Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
Two senior archaeologists are approved to
conduct Burial Site authentications in the state of Minnesota, and
four have been approved to investigate human remains in Wisconsin.
A full time architectural historian, an
paleoethnobotanist, an archaeozoologist, and two specialists in
archaeology education complete our staff of in‑house experts.
MVAC Staff:
Constance M. Arzigian Ph.D. - Laboratory Director, Research Associate and
Paleoethnobotinist
Robert "Ernie" Boszhardt M.A. -
Associate Director,
Research Associate, Regional Archaeologist
Jean M. Dowiasch B.S. - Educational
Coordinator and Graphic Specialist
Wendy K. Holtz-Leith B.S. - Research Archaeologist
Bonnie L. Jancik M.E.P.D. - Director of Public Education,
Webmaster, and Graphic Specialist
Barbara M. Kooiman M.A. - Architectural Historian and Historian
Marcee H. Peplinski B.A. - Business Manager and Development Director
Thomas C. Pleger Ph.D. - Adjunct
Research Archaeologist, Associate
Campus Dean and Associate Professor of Anthropology/Archaeology at
University of Wisconsin - Fox Valley
Katherine Stevenson Ph.D.
- Adjunct Research Archaeologist
James L. Theler Ph.D. - Research Archaeologist
and Professor of
Sociology/Anthropology at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse;
archeozoologist
Joseph A. Tiffany Ph.D. - Executive
Director and Professor of Archaeology at University of Wisconsin - La
Crosse
Vicki L. Twinde-Javner M.S. - Research Archaeologist
Associate
Stratomorph Geomorph Exploration, Inc. ‑
Geoprobe and vibracore deep coring and geomorphology
GIS Lab ‑ Geographic Information Systems Lab,
Department of Geography and Earth Science, University of Wisconsin ‑
La Crosse
Satisfied Costumers
As of 2006, we have successfully completed well
over 1,000 projects and more than 600 project reports in our Reports
of Investigation series. Whether it is a planned road, cell tower,
sewage treatment facility, or floodplain stabilization, MVAC is the
best choice. A sampling of our clients:
Corporate Clients
-
Dairyland Power Cooperative
-
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
-
Northern States Power Company
-
Tri-Leaf Engineering
-
Wisconsin River Power Company
-
Wisconsin Valley Improvement Co.
Government Clients
