This U.S- Guyana Planning Visit proposal will support PIs Dr. Neil Whitehead and Dr. Michael Heckenberger on a planning visit to Mr. George Simon from the University of Guyana and coordinator of the Ameridian Research Unit, August of 2009. The primary goal of the visit is to do collaborative preparation and a pilot study to assess archaeological deposits around the Lokono traditional village of Hitia, Guyana that will provide the groundwork for developing a comprehensive, multi-year project. The interdisciplinary team proposed for future research involves faculty researchers from the University of Wisconsin and Florida, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the Land Use and Environmental Change Institute at UF as well as individuals from other universities and organizations in the U. S and abroad. The project will provide diverse opportunities for student participation and will promote understanding and interest in issues of conservation, development, and the interplay of cultural and natural processes in the Neotropics.
