Protection may include the construction of shelters over specimens for interpretation in situ, stabilization of sediments in the field, or the collection, documentation, preparation, and placement of specimens in museum collections in the park or in a cooperating museum elsewhere. Park staff often work in cooperation with outside researchers to accomplish these goals. Reburial as an interim measure if excavation of fossil material is not recommended or feasible at a particular time, Reburial can slow erosion and the subsequent destruction of fossil material. The removal and collection of a fossil from a rock unit. The decision for excavation may depend on the scientific significance of the specimen, immediate threats to its preservation, or other variables. .
Patrols are important for preventing or reducing theft and vandalism.
Management of paleontological resources should be distinguished from the management of archeological resources. Paleontological resources are usually recognized as natural resources and should be managed accordingly. A great deal about the history of life remains buried in the Earth. Appropriate management in parks by park paleontologists, other resource managers, interpreters, and researchers from universities will preserve artifacts and reveal the story of the history of life on Earth. The fossils throughout the National Park System play an important role in the telling of that story.