What we do

The California Archaeological Site Stewardship Program (CASSP) recruits and trains volunteers to periodically monitor archaeological and historic sites on public land throughout California. Site stewards help land managers keep track of site conditions and report on threats like vandalism, looting, erosion, and encroachment.

Stewards are assigned to specific sites close to where they live. They visit their assigned sites several times a year, complete a site condition report, and submit it to the land management agency. They are the eyes and ears on the ground for agencies that often lack the staff to regularly check on the thousands of cultural resource sites in their jurisdiction.

CASSP works in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, state parks, county parks, and other agencies throughout California. Since its founding, CASSP has trained hundreds of volunteers who collectively have contributed thousands of hours protecting California’s irreplaceable cultural heritage.

CASSP is a nonprofit organization. All site stewards are volunteers. CASSP is affiliated with the Society for California Archaeology and works closely with other preservation and conservation organizations throughout the state.

CASSP Workshops

CASSP conducts two-day training workshops for new site stewards. Workshops include classroom instruction and a field trip to an archaeological or historic site. Workshop topics include site types and site condition factors, how to read maps and use a compass, photography techniques, archaeological ethics, and how to complete a site condition report. Workshops are held at locations throughout California. The fee for attending a CASSP workshop is $25.

Contact us

P O Box 7577
Long Beach CA 90807
Phone: (562) 453-8984
Director: Beth Padon
bpadon@sitestewardship.org