The Guam Preservation Trust works to preserve and protect Guam's historic sites, culture and perspectives for the benefit of our people and our future, but they're missing one critical person to help fulfill its mission.

"We used to have one but now we don't have one," Guam Preservation Trust Director Joe Quinata said. He's talking about an archeologist. They haven't had one going on for almost one year. The one they did have went to work for the military.

"We hope to at least get one to help us with that discipline in preservation, in historic preservation and heritage actually all together you have five different disciplines you have archeology, architecture, planning history and culture," he said. "And so every time we look at projects we look at these disciplines and see if we need to provide do we need to fill any gaps in these disciplines. So we work with all of that but we do need at least one archeologist on board to help us not only with the current work with the trust but also to help us sort of navigate into the upcoming programmatic agreements these agreements with the military because Guam preservation trust is a consulting signatory. We'd like to get the expert eye on that."

For over 21 years the Guam Preservation Trust has been working to preserve and protect the island's historic sites and provide an architectural and archaeological history of each which includes archival and archeological research and investigations. Although they currently don't have an archeologist on board, Quinata assures the community that as they wait to hire one. They are receiving archeological consultations.


"We have a committee of archeologists on island we also have off-island," he said. "We have archeologists that have still kept an interest on Guam that are in Hawaii that are in Spain and that are in new york 1150 so we consult with them that still have that interest with not only Guam Preservation Trust but also with the island of Guam."

GPT in the meantime will be holding certifications for those interested in becoming an Archaeological Fieldwork Technician. Students will be learning field training including pedestrian survey, site mapping, and excavation. For more information go to www.pacificpresevation.org/aft.