ADIRONDACK PARK: UNIFYING FORCE, ECONOMIC ASSET
Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks
Saratoga Springs, New York
May 26, 1995
Remarks: J. Glenn Eugster, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chesapeake Bay Program,
Annapolis, MD 21403
INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
* PLEASANT TO RETURN. WORKED HERE IN 1982-84 WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AS PART OF THE BOQUET RIVER EFFORT.
* ALWAYS HAVE ADMIRED THE WORK GOING ON IN ADIRONDACK PARK REGION AND WITHIN NY STATE. I SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HUMILITY, REALIZING THAT YOU RECENTLY CELEBRATED THE 103 ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR EFFORTS.
* ALTHOUGH I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON YOUR REGION I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS FOR OVER 20 YEARS HELPING DIFFERENT REGIONS DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE. PERHAPS SOME INSIGHTS FROM OTHER PLACES WILL COMPLIMENT
YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM BACKGROUND
I. TRENDS: SHARE MY PERCEPTIONS
A.) THERE EXISTS A CONVERGENCE OF MAJOR TRENDS IN THE CONSERVATION OF LAND BASED ON HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE AND THE EVOLUTION OF SHARED PRINCIPALS. THIS CONVERGENCE REPRESENTS A FUNDAMENTAL GROUND SHIFT IN THE PHILOSOPHY AND CONDUCT OF LAND CONSERVATION WORK.
ACROSS A WIDE HORIZON OF CONSERVATION, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, PRESERVATION, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, THERE IS AN INCREASING COMMONLY HELD RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDSCAPES AND ECOSYSTEMS WHERE HUMAN COMMUNITIES AND ACTIVITIES ARE A PART OF THE BASIC FABRIC, VALUE, FUNCTION, AND INTEGRITY OF THESE AREAS. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS INTERCONNECTEDNESS PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE HEALTH, CONSERVATION AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THESE LANDSCAPES.
B.) CHUCK LITTLE AUTHOR: "OUR FAILURE TO CONNECT LAND AND COMMUNITY HAS LED TO A LOSS OF BOTH---IN CITIES, SUBURBS AND RURAL AREAS. LAND IS THE ORIGIN OF COMMUNITY---OF THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS IT IS THE COMMUNITY OF NATURE".
C.) WHAT ARE THE KEY PRINCIPLES THAT ARE GUIDING THIS CONVERGENCE?
1. BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANDSCAPES AS ECOSYSTEMS WHICH INCLUDE LIVING RESOURCES AND PEOPLE. MORE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF LAND, WATER, PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND MORE EMPHASIS ON PEOPLE----HUMAN ECOLOGY. MORE AND MORE, WE ARE LOOKING AT GEOGRAPHIC PLACES, OR ECOSYSTEMS, AS THE BASIS FOR OUR UNDERSTANDING THE LAND AND AS A UNIT FOR HOLISTIC DECISION-MAKING.
EXAMPLE: MORE ACTIVITY IN LOCAL PLANNING & ZONING BOARDS. COMPUTER MODELS, BASED ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INFORMATION, WHICH CAN PREDICT THE CONSEQUENCES OF POTENTIAL ACTIONS. MORE ECOLOGY THAN EVER!
2. RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR ALL LEVELS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BE INVOLVED IN A COORDINATED DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WHICH IS OPEN, INTERACTIVE AND RATIONALE. MORE EMPHASIS ON LOCAL AND PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT EARLY IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
EXAMPLE: GROUND SWELL OF LOCALLY-BASED INITIATIVES TO PROTECT WATERSHEDS, CONSERVE OPEN SPACE, REGENERATE BUSINESSES, ETC.
MORE DEMOCRACY THAN EVER!
3. REALIZATION OF THE LINKAGES BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC VALUES AND FUNCTIONS. SCIENTISTS, LAND MANAGERS, LOCAL OFFICIALS , ECONOMISTS, AND OTHERS, INCREASINGLY SEE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THESE THREE ASPECTS OF OUR LAND AND THE NEED TO VIEW THEM TOGETHER RATHER THAN AS CHOICES. IN MANY AREAS COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE LOOKING AT ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY VALUES AS A TYPE OF "NATURAL AND CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE", THE HEALTH AND CONDITION OF WHICH HAS ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS.
EXAMPLE: SUSTAINABLE USE MOVEMENT GIVES THIS CONCEPT CREDENCE.
4. RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOCAL ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF LANDSCAPES AND THE NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CAPABILITIES OF COMMUNITIES TO WORK ON ECOSYSTEM GOALS AND ISSUES. STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTION AND PROSPERITY USUALLY REQUIRE LOCAL LEADERSHIP, SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT. TRADITIONS OF HOME RULE CONTINUE TO PLACE COMMUNITIES AT THE FOREFRONT OF CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND CHALLENGE THEIR ABILITIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL. CHALLENGES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO WORK MORE WITH THEIR WATERSHED/ ECOSYSTEM NEIGHBORS. CHALLENGES STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO HELP PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES.
5. STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE MOVED BEYOND COMMAND AND CONTROL ACTIVITIES OR WHICH ARE SINGULAR IN FOCUS. MULTIOBJECTIVE, NON-REGULATORY SERVICE APPROACHES, WHICH ARE "PLACE-BASED" ARE INCREASING DRAMATICALLY WITHIN FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS AND STATE AND NATIONAL PRIVATE. ORGANIZATIONS.
EXAMPLE: MANY WATERSHED, STEWARDSHIP, HERITAGE AND MAIN STREET EFFORTS ARE AIMED TO HELP PEOPLE, HELP THEMSELVES, WHILE ACHIEVING STATE AND NATIONAL PRIORITIES. BOQUET RIVER STUDY EFFORT HAS PROVEN TO BE AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THIS CHANGE.
6. RECOGNITION THAT THE LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING, AND WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO ECONOMIC FORCES, AS WELL AS ADVANCES IN TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGICAL AND COMMUNICATION . THE ALLOCATION AND REALLOCATION OF LAND OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITIES AND THE ECONOMY.
II. CONVERGING APPROACHES
THE PROGRAM FOR THIS FORUM POSED QUESTIONS FOR US TO CONSIDER TODAY. WHAT ARE THE BEST IDEAS TO MERGE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES FOR THE REGION? WHAT IS THE TRACK RECORD FOR COORDINATED ACTIVITY WITHIN THE PARK? HOW CAN THE PARK BECOME A GREATER COMMUNITY ASSET?
RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO SHARE
SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES I'VE GAINED FROM SIMILAR EFFORTS AND OFFER THOSE INSIGHTS AS GENERAL RESPONSES.
MANY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE REGIONS ARE PREPARING STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE. FREQUENTLY THEY HAVE A GENERAL GOAL SUCH AS THE ONE WHICH FOLLOWS, WHICH ATTEMPTS TO INTEGRATE ENVIRONMENTAL, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES:
TO MAINTAIN SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPES WHICH ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE HARMONIOUS INTERACTION OF MAN AND THE LAND, WHILE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT THROUGH RECREATION AND TOURISM WITHIN THE NORMAL LIFESTYLE AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OF THESE AREA. (SOURCE: IUCN/ PROTECTED LANDSCAPES).
ALTHOUGH EACH OF THESE AREAS IS UNIQUE AND REQUIRES A TAILORED APPROACH, MANY HAVE USED THE FOLLOWING CONCEPTS:
* ORGANIZE AROUND ECOLOGY AND CULTURE: SIMPLY PUT, USE THE INTRINSIC QUALITIES OF THE REGION OR SUBREGION TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
MANY COMMUNITIES ARE USING THE AREAS "SENSE OF PLACE" AS WELL AS, NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE THEMES TO ORGANIZE AND IMPLEMENT VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE. HERITAGE IS AN INTERESTING UNIFYING CONCEPT---EVERYONE HAS A HERITAGE AND THIS EFFORTS TYPICALLY USE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PAST AND PRESENT TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
THE HERITAGE MOVEMENT BEGAN AS AN ATTEMPT TO INTEGRATE LAND CONSERVATION, OPEN SPACE PROTECTION, PARKS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION PROGRAMS TOGETHER WITHIN AN ECOSYSTEM/ LANDSCAPE CONTEXT.
EXCITING NATURAL HERITAGE WORK WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA'S LACKAWANNA RIVER VALLEY AND MARYLAND'S LOWER EASTERN SHORE , WITH ASSISTANCE FROM STATE GOVERNMENTS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR , NPS AND EPA, IS ADVANCING THIS APPROACH.
* RECOGNIZE AND BUILD UPON THE POSITIVE TRADITIONS OF REGIONAL COOPERATION AND STEWARDSHIP
MUCH OF THE LAND CONSERVATION POLICY OF THE U.S. HAS EVOLVED FROM DESTRUCTION AND DEGRADATION. UNFORTUNATELY SUCCESSFUL TRADITIONS HAVE GOTTEN LOST IN THIS POLICY EVOLUTION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW OF THE TRADITIONS OF SUCCESSFUL LOCAL REGIONAL COOPERATION AND STEWARDSHIP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COMMUNITY WORK IS GOING ON NOW, WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL, AND WHY.
WITHIN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM, WE FOUND THAT MANY NOTEWORTHY LOCAL EFFORTS WERE NOT OBVIOUS TO SOME OF OUR LEADERSHIP AND THESE LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES OFFERED INSIGHT FOR POLICY AND EXCELLENT EXAMPLES FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES. WITH A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WE ARE DOCUMENTING 100 INNOVATIONS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
*USE A MULTIOBJECTIVE APPROACH.
THE VALUES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE ECOSYSTEMS WE WISH TO CONSERVE ARE DIVERSE AND OUR STRATEGIES TO PROTECT AND SUSTAIN THEM MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THEY NEED TO BE MANAGED FOR MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES. APPROACHES ARE NEEDED WHICH ACHIEVE DIFFERENT GOALS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT DESTROYING IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL, COMMUNITY OR ECONOMIC VALUES..
COMMUNITIES WITHIN VIRGINIA'S EASTERN SHORE HAVE DEVELOPED AND ARE IMPLEMENTING A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THEIR REGION. WITH THE STRONG SUPPORT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITIES ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES WHICH ARE COMPATIBLE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
INCLUDED IN THEIR WORK IS A THE PORT OF CAPE CHARLES ECOLOGICAL INDUSTRIAL PARK WHICH IS BEING DESIGNED TO INCORPORATE NEW MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES WHICH DO NOT GENERATE WASTE. CURRENT PLANS INCLUDE AQUACULTURE, FOOD PROCESSING, RECYCLING & COMPOSTING, WOOD IMPORT, DESALINIZATION AND BOAT BUILDING INDUSTRIES.
THE STRATEGY WILL BRING 593 NEW JOBS TO THIS SMALL COMMUNITY, WHILE REVITALIZING CAPE CHARLES, PROTECTING WETLANDS, FARMLANDS, SMALL BUSINESSES, WATER QUALITY AND MIGRATORY BIRD HABITAT.
IN A NUMBER OF OTHER REGIONS, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING IDEAS FOR ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL BASED TOURISM TO DIVERSIFY LOCAL ECONOMIES, STIMULATE COMMUNITY PRIDE AND ENCOURAGE OUTSIDE VISITORS. ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL TOURISM EFFORTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A THREE STATE EFFORT ON THE DELMARVA PENINSULA (DE, MD, VA) IS FOCUSED ON ECOLOGICAL TOURISM RELATED TO THE ATLANTIC FLYWAY. SEVENTY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TO CARRY OUT TOURISM, EDUCATION, HABITAT PROTECTION, TRAINING AND PROMOTION PROJECTS.
* FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT, AND PRIVATE SECTOR, ASSISTANCE TO BUILD LOCAL CAPABILITY.
MANY AREAS ARE TAKING STEPS TO RESPOND TO THE TRENDS I DESCRIBED EARLIER. GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE
LOOKING AT NEW WAYS TO INCREASE LOCAL CAPABILITY BY IMPROVING THE
DELIVERY OF SERVICES. WHERE ARE OUR COMMUNITIES NOW? WHERE WOULD THEY LIKE TO BE? HOW CAN WE TARGET TECHNICAL, INFORMATIONAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THEM MORE EFFECTIVE IN TAKING LOCAL AND REGIONAL ACTION?
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED AND 3 CHESAPEAKE BAY COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP EXCHANGE LOCAL CASE STUDY AREAS, ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE LOCAL CAPABILITY AND THE CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION. EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON WORKING TO EFFICIENTLY MATCH COMMUNITY NEEDS WITH OUTSIDE SERVICES. THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUILDING LOCAL CAPABILITY FOR COOPERATIVE WATERSHED PLANNING AND PROTECTION IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THIS APPROACH.
IN VIRGINIA'S EASTERN SHORE, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTERESTS HAVE RECENTLY COMMITTED TO FUNDING A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A "ONE-STOP-SHOP BUSINESS SERVICE CENTER" TO PROVIDE BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSISTANCE TO NEW BUSINESSES.
* SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES AROUND THE NATION EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO COOPERATE, WORK TOWARD SOME TYPE OF CONSENSUS ABOUT THE FUTURE AND UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR INTEREST RELATE TO OTHERS.
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OWNED REGIONS LIKE THIS ONE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING REGIONAL GOALS WHEN THEIR IS A COMMON UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR ALL OF THE BENEFICIAL USES OF THE AREA. STRATEGIES MUST INCORPORATE THE NEED TO ACHIEVE BROAD PUBLIC GOALS AS WELL AS BE SENSITIVE TO THE VALUES AND RIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH PRIVATE LANDS.
MERGING ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC STRATEGIES REQUIRES AN APPROACH WHICH RECOGNIZES PEOPLE'S NEED TO PROSPER, AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANT OF LANDSCAPE PROTECTION. ALTHOUGH CONFLICTS ARE INHERENT IN THESE TYPES OF STRATEGIES, RARELY IS PERCEIVED CONFLICT EQUAL TO ACTUAL CONFLICT.
THERE HAS BEEN A LONG TRADITION OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES TO COOPERATION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING IN THIS REGION WHICH CAN BE BUILT UPON. OTHER NEW MODELS MAY BE USEFUL TO EXAMINE WAYS TO SEEK AND REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, LANDOWNERS, LOCAL OFFICIALS, STATE LAND MANAGERS, AND OTHER INTERESTS, THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES 64,000 SQUARE MILES OF WATERSHED, HAS OVER 50 ACTIVE COMMITTEES WITH NEARLY 500 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE REPRESENTATIVES WHO REGULARLY PARTICIPATE.
III. UNIFYING FORCE
THE FORUM'S GOAL IS TO FURTHER EXAMINE CONSIDERING THE ADIRONDACK PARK/ REGION AS A WHOLE TO BE AMONG NORTHERN NEW YOR'KS MOST ENDURING EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS.
YOUR IDEA IS AN INTRIGUING ONE WHICH I WILL LISTEN TO YOU DISCUSS WITH GREAT INTEREST. PERHAPS, THE CONVERGENCE OF TRENDS WHICH I SPOKE OF HAS LED YOU TO A SIMILAR CONCLUSION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUR REGION/ PARK.
PERHAPS THE TIME IS APPROPRIATE TO UNIFY AND INTEGRATE YOUR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC GOALS SIMULTANEOUSLY. BY DEFINING THE FUTURE OF THE REGION HOLISTICALLY YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROTECT THE ESSENTIAL ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL VALUES OF THIS SPLENDID REGION WHILE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO PROSPER. AN INTEGRATED APPROACH WHICH IS SENSITIVE TO ECOSYSTEM , IT'S PEOPLE , INCLUDING THEIR CULTURE, RIGHTS, AND ECONOMY.
THE ADIRONDACK REGION IS THE RESULT OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AND IS THE BY-PRODUCT OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND PRIVATE STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS TO PROTECT A UNIQUE REGION. THE TRADITIONS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STEWARDSHIP ARE APPARENT IN WHAT YOU HAVE AND ARE THE CORNERSTONE AND PATHWAY FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT AREA.
MAY YOU HAVE CONTINUED SUCCESS IN YOUR WORK.
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