How is a landscape documented?
There are three components to the documentation: historic research and narrative, measured drawings and photographs. Each of these is described in detailed guidelines that describe what information should be recorded and how it should be done. HALS is intended to be a comprehensive, scholarly record that provides a permanent detailed record of the landscape. There are three levels of documentation. The Long Form is the most comprehensive and is intended to be applied to landscapes of national significance. The Short Form is designed to address landscapes with state level significance or when time or funding does not allow more thorough documentation. The Inventory Form is for landscapes with local significance or when time or funding does not permit more thorough documentation.
