The National Park Service is the lead federal agency in administering the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, and the Chesapeake Conservancy is its principal partner for trail development. The National Park Service is also a federal partner in the watershed-wide Chesapeake Bay Program. In all these areas, the National Park Service connects people with the special places and stories of the Chesapeake, helps preserve those special places and stories, and fosters stewardship of the Chesapeake.

The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail commemorates Captain Smith's exploration of the Bay in 1607 through 1609, and is the nation's first all-water National Historic trail. It provides a significant conservation, recreation and education resource that stretches over 3,800 miles and traverses most of the Chesapeake's great rivers. In addition to providing needed recreational access to the Chesapeake and its rivers, the trail provides a framework for our work of large landscape conservation, vital to celebrate, protect and restore the Bay. Just as the Appalachian National Scenic Trail provided a framework for large landscape conservation since 1920, so can the John Smith Chesapeake Trail. And it's right in our backyard! Read more and take a virtual tour.

 

At Green Drinks, Joel Dunn, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Conservancy spoke about the organization's mission -- to connect people with the outdoors in our area -- and he told a story about how Green Drinks events have impacted his agency. His administrative assistant, who had been working in an unrelated field, applied for the job at the Conservancy only after she had attended a number of Green Drinks to meet people and learn more about the environmental community. So, Green Drinks connections work!

 

Joel and Sarah Elder, Conservancy Director of Operations, both told us about the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and how to access and enjoy it. And Sarah presented an eco-quiz. Those who called out the right answer to each question received a small replica of the Capt. John Smith Shallop. Take the quiz -- it's on our website.   

Filmmaker Ken Burns called the National Parks "America's Best Idea" and used that phrase as the subtitle of his six-part PBS series. And it is. The National Park Service was created by an act signed by President Woodrow Wilson on August 25, 1916. Read more about the Centennial. Now there are 411 areas covering more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Read more on our website.

 

At Green Drinks, Cindy Chance, Cultural Anthropologist at the National Park Service, discussed the centennial of the service and both she and Sarah of the Chesapeake Conservancy had an extensive display of information.