The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office, the Arizona Preservation Foundation, and the City of Phoenix invite you to join them at the 14th Annual Arizona Historic Preservation Conference. This year’s conference, “Preservation Next” is being held in Phoenix on June 8th-10th, 2016. The goal of the Conference is to bring together preservationists from around the state to exchange ideas and success stories, to share perspectives and solutions to preservation issues, and to foster cooperation between the diverse Arizona preservation communities.
So what is Preservation Next? It is the concept that all preservation efforts must contain a component of planning for the future. Preservation is an ongoing process; one cannot simply stabilize a structure or site and then stop. One must ask, “What is next?” “What will preserve and protect this important resource for future generations?” “And who will preserve them?” It is our responsibility to shape future preservation efforts, to educate the next generation of preservationists, and to show them the value, importance and fragility of these non-renewable resources. With each new preservationist come new ideas, and new technology, and the world of preservation must evolve to make the methodologies and techniques of the past mesh with these new ideas to create the preservation plans for the future.
In 2016, as we celebrate several important milestones in the preservation community, such as the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service, the 50th Anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, the 30th Anniversary of the Arizona Site Steward Program, and more, it is time to reflect on our many past accomplishments and challenges so we can plan Preservation Next.
As we move forward, it is imperative that we work together to guide and influence what the future holds next for preservation.