Our research is thus focused not on abstract concepts but on practical issues. Cultural resource management is by nature a complex and multifaceted process. Work proceeds in a series of steps, with the scope and intensity of each step often difficult to predict at the outset. Planning is critical to the process. It provides a framework from which to gauge potential impacts, offer potential options, and estimate attendant costs.
Most projects involve the development of three critical documents.
The second type of document provides the legal parameters of the project. The third type of document is a treatment plan, which details the nature of the cultural resources within the project area, provides evaluations of the significance of these properties, analyzes proposed impacts, and presents a set of mitigative measures. SRI is experienced in the preparation of all of these documents. We have conducted overviews on areas as large as Arizona and southern California and as small as 100-acre borrow pits. SRI has aided in the preparation of federal agreement documents on large controversial projects and helped local home builders to clear small parcels.