Cultural Resources Survey for FY-91 Timber Harvesting Compartments, Fort Benning, Georgia, Amendment 2

In compliance with federal regulations governing the integrity of cultural resources (National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Executive Order 11593, and the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974) the U.S. Army and the Directorate of Engineering and Housing (DEH) at Fort Benning, Georgia sponsored an intensive survey of areas scheduled for Fiscal Year 1991 (FY-91) timber harvesting. Timber harvesting, land preparation, and replanting can adversely affect the integrity of cultural resources. Southeastern Archeological Services working through Gulf Engineers and Consultants contracted with the Corps of Engineers, Savannah District to complete the survey. Thomas Gresham served as Principal Investigator and Rob Benson was project director.

A four-person survey crew of Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc. (SAS) surveyed an initial 3,387 acres, scattered in pockets across 21 forest compartments, during August and September, 1991. Sites 9CE349 and 9CE352 were also tested for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The management summary for this survey, completed in October, 1991, has been sent to intended recipients (SAS 1991a). A second phase of the FY-91 timber harvesting cultural resources survey, familiarly known as 'Amendment No. 1,' involved. survey crews of two to six people, depending upon crew availability. Instead of surveying selected areas with pine beetle infestations, as in the initial survey contract of the FY-91 survey, entire compartments were surveyed. Amendment No. 1 cultural resource survey acreage totaled 2,345, which was divided among compartments Pl and P2 in Georgia and compartment Y2 in Alabama. Because of shifting priorities, Fort Benning directed that 100 ac in Compartment Pl be omitted from the Amendment 1 survey. The management summary for Amendment No. 1 was completed and submitted to intended recipients in December, 1991 (SAS 1991b). The final stage of the FY-91 cultural resources survey, Amendment No. 2, was conducted by four and six-person crews during December, 1991 and January, 1992. A total of 1,774 acres was surveyed, 1,024 acres in compartment F4 and approximately 750 acres in selected areas of compartment N1. SAS was initially contracted to survey two entire compartments, I1 and F4. An additional 100 acres that was not surveyed during the Amendment No. 1 survey was to be added by surveying selected pine beetle infested areas. After an initial inspection of compartment Il by Ft. Benning archeologist Dean Wood and Rob Benson, Ft. Benning decided to exchange the Il tract for a comparable tract in compartment N1.