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In the news Honoring Stuart Udall, 1920-2010, a giant in conservation and recreation
Last October's Southeastern Water Trails Forum got good TV coverage on WDEF. (1:45). Sponsored
by the Southeast Watershed Forum.
Chicago RTCA staffer Diane Banta is in the Spring/Summer issue of Rails to Trails!
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Get Involved
Work with us! NPS-RTCA job in San Antonio. Hurry though! Apply by April 9.
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Events
Learn more about water trails, meet great water trail people May 18-20 in Portland, OR at the RMS-NARRP Symposium
Meet new partners + learn new tools
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Conservation + Recreation: April 2010
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Saltwater Paddling Trail Even though this project to identify a
water trail along the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and
Georgia is new, in some ways it's already complete.
Many canoe and kayak access sites and accommodations already exist along the route, so anyone wanting to paddle down the coast can
already do it. What doesn't exist yet is a database and map of all the safe, legal access points, and an easy way for users to know where existing sites are (and where the gaps and dangerous
conditions are).
Based on the success of the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, NPS Landscape Architect Charlotte Gillis has been helping identify partners to realize the vision of a water trail connecting
Florida to the Chesapeake Bay. Now, partners, friends, and
word of mouth have brought together: the Coastal Regional Commission of Georgia, The Conservation Fund, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Chesapeake Bay Gateway Project of the National Park Service.
Phase one of the project is in progress: collating data from the many different states and jurisdictions involved,
creating a database, and providing a single website for access. This will allow paddlers to plan in advance, download data as they
go, and get basic information they need to use these sites.
Outside of the partners, not many people know about this
project -- yet. But those who do, like some local nonprofits, paddlers, and
small businesses who've caught wind of the project, are eager to see new paddlers start floating by.
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Down By the River | It just got a whole lot easier to get down to the Potomac River. At the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, getting to the riverbank from the historic canal's towpath trail could be difficult at times; flooding
had demolished the canoe launch, and low summer and fall river levels interfered with getting boats into the river. Last September, three days of hard work culminated a
yearlong effort to restore the site and make it safe for kayakers, canoeists,
and hikers along the towpath. The Potomac Conservancy and National Park Service staff from C&O Canal NHP and the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program joined forces to repair the launch area. The partners planned together and then, with volunteers, rebuilt the stairs to the site, repaired erosion problems, removed
exotic plants and reestablished natives, and made the intended trail easier to find and use. The result of this hard and dirty work -- at least 111 volunteer hours from Conservancy members, faithful park volunteers, and community members recruited via Facebook and Twitter -- is more
than just improved facilities. "The project is a visible sign of
the community connecting with the park," says C&O Canal NHP Superintendent Kevin
Brandt. "As a result, we enjoy a positive relationship with the community.
They're our best advocates." All involved describe the partnership as a
success. Conservancy President Hedrick Belin sees four elements as critical to success in a project like this: 1) specific and
unambiguous shared goals, 2) defined roles and responsibilities, such as letting the experts "do their
thing", 3) clear communications, and 4) remembering to celebrate the partnership and acknowledge everyone's contributions.
The partnership between the Potomac Conservancy and C&O Canal NHP the park
is long-standing. But this is the first project in which RTCA also played a role. The Conservancy is already thinking
about more projects together. That's the truest test of the success of a
partnership -- wanting to work together again.
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A Tip of the Hat to...
April Ingle Georgia River Network
A great way to build support for protecting rivers is simply to get people out ON the river and having a great time. That's why water trails are such a powerful tool for river conservation.
April Ingle knows this well, and is one of the many partners we love working with. As Executive Director of the Georgia River Network, April "knows how to make things work, and if not, she'll figure it out!" says Charlotte Gillis of the National Park Service, who is glad to have April as a partner. "April is open to thinking about almost anything that can help protect Georgia's rivers or help more people enjoy them by getting out on the river," says Charlotte. Hear what April had to say about last month's Georgia Water Trails Workshop, which drew nearly 100 enthusiasts, in this YouTube clip shot by Jamie Higgins.
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Let's Work Together
Could your project benefit from collaboration with a National Park Service specialist? If you're restoring a river, building a community trail, or making an urban park flourish, we'd love to talk with you about ways we could work together. Call or email your regional representative today.
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Like what you read? Please copy or forward this newsletter. Have a story idea? We're happy to consider story ideas or news items for future publication. Want to use a story for your own publication? We would be pleased to help you. To submit an idea or request information about adapting a story, please contact Alan Turnbull: 202-354-6930 or [email protected]
Conservation + Recreation is written to support and inform our organizational partners, friends of the program, potential partners, and Department of the Interior staff. It's our chance to share activities and successes and those of our partners. For details on specific projects, please contact the staff person involved with each project.
Images courtesy National Park Service, and Jeff Mazanec for header photo of colorful kayaks.
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