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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley news Volume XIV Issue XVI November 1, 2007 Audubon Certifies Wolf Creek Resort National Archives and FamilySearch Team Up to and Index Mountains of Historic Documents Golf Course as Wildlife Sanctuary Digitize The National Archives and Records the National Archives has helped thousands of Audubon International has natures for specific certification elements Administration (NARA) of the United States designated the golf course at within the Audubon Certified Cooperative and FamilySearch announced in October an agreement that will lead to the digitization of Wolf Creek Resort & Club as the Sanctuary Program. millions of historical documents over time. first course in Utah to become a The bulk of the digital images and related Certified Audubon Cooperative indices will be freely accessible through Sanctuary. Audubon International states www.FamilySearch.org, 4,500 family hisin its award letter, “[Wolf Creek Resort] tory centers worldwide, or at the National has shown a clear commitment to enhancArchives and its Regional Centers. ing wildlife habitat, protecting water qualThe agreement is the result of several years ity, conserving resources, and education. of discussions between the two organizations Through preserving and managing water, and NARA’s new long-term strategy for digitizwildlife, and other natural resources, [Wolf ing and making available major segments of its Creek] is significantly contributing to the vast collection online to the public. Ultimately, conservation of biological diversity at a time the records digitized by FamilySearch will conwhen the rates of species extinction and Rob Thomas, Wolf Creek Resort & Club, Managing sist of court, military, land, and other government habitat loss are at an unprecedented high.” records that include information of genealogical Member with Monica Fuit, Golf Superintendent When asked why it was important for significance for family historians. The records Wolf Creek to proceed through the lengthy • The Environmental Case Study project cre- date as early as 1754 to as late as the 1990s. process that, in some cases, takes years in order Almost all of the records in the National ated a drought tolerant wildlife area filled to achieve certification, Monica Fuit, Wolf with native plants from a large area of turf Archives currently are not readily accessible Creek Resort & Club Golf Superintendent, to patrons who visit the National Archives or near the #10 tee that was not in play. stated, “For the simple enjoyment of watch- • Wildlife and Habitat Management required one of its regional facilities. The newly digiing the wildlife reappear on the course.” She implementing “no spray zones,” taking tized and indexed records produced under the sited a red fox as a recent visitor. extensive bird inventories, and setting up agreement will be available online—greatly “The reasons for Wolf Creek’s application songbird nest boxes, which Monica built increasing patron access. “For a number of years, we have had a very for certification to the Audubon were numerby hand. ous. For one, • Wolf Creek’s projects for Chemical Use productive relationship with FamilySearch,” said Professor Allen Weinstein, archivist of the United achieving Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation States. “This agreement expands our relationship sanctuary staand Water Quality Management began to enable online access to some of the most poputus changes the process of safeguarding the ecological lar and voluminous records in our holdings. It is public percepintegrity of the community’s terrestrial and an exciting step forward for our institutions and tions of golf aquatic ecosystems. for the American people,” he added. course waste, Taking its place among a legacy of Under the new agreement, FamilySearch where using 647 Sanctuary courses the world over, Wolf will be operating highly specialized digiless water Creek’s distinctive 18-hole PGA golf course tal cameras 5 days a week at the National is important is a 7,000 yard course on two distinct nines Archives in Washington, D.C. FamilySearch for playabil- that features 17 acres of natural plant com- intends to extend the digitization services to ity. However, munities, protected watershed areas, and select regional facilities at a later date. That the decision over 5 acres of gardens maintained for the means there will be a continuous flow of new to trans- sole purpose of providing a food source for data for genealogy buffs to explore for years to f o r m Wo l f wildlife. The front nine openly roams out to come. It also means FamilySearch will be able Creek’s golf a point overlooking Pineview Reservoir and to digitize the thousands of microfilms it has course into a wildlife sanctuary was essen- the Ogden Valley, and the back nine mean- already created from NARA’s holdings—providing access to millions of images for genealtially made in deference to the beautiful, ders through groves of oak. natural setting of Ogden Valley, the wildlife, In keeping with Wolf Creek Resort’s ogists to search from the convenience of their and the natural resources herein. mission of providing healthy family fun, home computers with Internet access. The first fruit of this effort is the digitization The first step in enhancing the environ- Wolf Creek Resort & Club is dedicated to mental quality of the existing Wolf Creek preserving the health and environmental of a portion of a very large collection of Civil War records, which is already underway. In this course for the Audubon was developing a quality of its resort community. pilot project, FamilySearch will digitize the first site assessment and environmental plan. For additional information on The environmental plan was developed Wolf Creek Resort & Club Certified 3,150 Civil War widow pension application files by Rob Thomas, Wolf Creek Managing Cooperative Sanctuary, contact Monica (approximately 500,000 pages). After digitization, Member, and Superintendent Monica Fuit. Fuit at 801-430-4648, or visit <www. these historical documents will be indexed and posted online by Footnote.com with the indices The certification process was divided into wolfcreekresort.com> also available for free on <www.FamilySearch. six conservation stages; each requiring sigorg> FamilySearch intends to do all 1,280,000 of these files over the coming years. James Hastings, director of Access Programs at the National Archives, said, “For decades researchers gain access to this rich trove of records in Washington. Thanks to this agreement with FamilySearch, this valuable information will now be available to millions of users around the world in a far more accessible format.” Wayne Metcalfe, director of FamilySearch Record Services, said, “No single group can preserve, organize, and make available all the information contained in the world’s important genealogical documents—like those found in the National Archives of the United States. Such immense undertakings require the cooperation of record custodians, researchers, and specialized services. FamilySearch is committed to being an integral partner in this global effort.” FamilySearch is the largest international organization of its kind, working with national archives and record custodians worldwide to preserve and increase access to records of genealogical significance. It is currently working on projects in over 45 countries. About the National Archives. The National Archives and Records Administration, an independent federal agency, is the nation’s record keeper. Founded in 1934, its mission is unique—to serve American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. It supports democracy, promotes civic education, and facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives meets a wide range of information needs, among them helping people to trace their families’ history, making it possible for veterans to prove their entitlement to medical and other benefits, and preserving original White House records. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the Internet at <www.archives.gov> About FamilySearch. The Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU)—doing business as FamilySearch—is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FamilySearch maintains the world’s largest repository of genealogical resources; these resources may be accessed through FamilySearch.org, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries. FamilySearch is a trademark licensed to GSU and is registered in the United States of America and other countries. |