2025 Poster Session

Collaboration is Key; Introducing the Conservation Ethos to Construction Apprentices in the Bridge to Crafts Careers Program 

Conservation science and theory are not universally understood or known in the general public. However, reframing and explaining our profession to a general audience and to budding construction professionals is integral to the public’s buy in to the value of conservation and historic preservation. Through a ten-week apprenticeship program at Green-Wood Cemetery, I teach students with no background in conservation or construction an introduction to stone conservation and the basic principles of conservation theory as it pertains to preservation masonry projects.  

I began this program in 2018 as a program site of the Bridge to Craft Careers Program founded and supported by The World Monuments Fund. With their help I have created a curriculum that unpacks the conservation and preservation world and primes students to be advocates for historic fabric no matter what field they end finding employment.

Through our work together the students and my restoration crew at Green-Wood fully restore a historic masonry mausoleum. We talk through and implement specific treatments on the monument such as historic mortar removal, matching, and installation, masonry patching, non-destructive  cleaning, and documentation.

This presentation will describe the steps I take to train new apprentices in stone conservation as well as highlight the mausoleum restorations we have successfully completed over the years. There will be an emphasis on community engagement and the types of recruitment methods I use to create excitement around the conservation field and how to speak to young adults about conservation and restoration within the context of today’s job market.

By opening up conservation careers to individuals just with higher education backgrounds the whole field stands to become more open and inclusive about sharing the mission of preservation with new professionals that are just as passionate if not more about our shared heritage. Conservation is not just for those of us with access to graduate degrees- many hands make light work.