Résumé (en anglais):

The Archaeological Research Services Unit of the Canadian Park's Service's Western Region has developed a computerized site data collection and management system to aid in the development of Archaeological Resource Descriptions and to support the maintenance of the Archaeological Resource inventory for the region. This computer data management system has been in use for a year and has directly increased the accuracy and consistency of site data collection and presentation as well as enabling 'on the fly' analysis and self-generating site reports. The paper will discuss this computer system and how it integrates with Western Region's archaeological resource management programme. The adoption of a particular cultural resource management approach by a government agency depends on several factors. The direction of a program will depend on statutory and policy frameworks, the availability of both human and financial resources, the demands of the public/client groups and the nature of the resource base. Archaeological resource management programs within the Canadian Parks Service of Canada are presently undergoing a period of adjustment. The basic trend within the Canadian Parks Service of Western Region is toward an emphasis on resource conservation and protection. This paper will discuss the approach developed by the Archaeological Research Services Unit of Western Region to describe and manage the varied archaeological resources within the National Parks of British Columbia and Alberta. The Archaeological Resource Description (ARD) program, as it has been developed within Western Region, will be the main focus of the paper. The paper will outline the kinds of site data information which are deemed to be important in significance rating, predictive modeling, priority rating and site monitoring. Archaeological information collected during the inventory and data analysis phases of the Jasper, Banff, Kootenay and Waterton programs will be used in the paper to illustrate certain key points and approaches.