REMARKS PRESENTED BY J. GLENN EUGSTER, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY, CHESAPEAKE BAY OFFICE; AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR HERITAGE AREAS: HERITAGE PARTNERSHIPS;
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, D.C.
MARCH 15, 1994
Introduction:
In 1989 while working for the National Park Service I presented a paper, at the National Preservation Conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, prepared by Deidre Gibson, Jonathan Doherty and myself entitled "Heritage Areas: An Approach to Integral Landscape Conservation". In the summary section the paper addressed the federal role in heritage area efforts and recognized that "continuing Federal involvement and leadership is critically important". The paper recognized the leadership role that the National Park Service has had in many heritage effforts. It went further to note that, "The heritage area concept could be also be led by other federal agencies with legislative responsibilities related to natural, cultural, historic, recreational and economic values."
Shortly after I wrote the paper I joined the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Wetlands Office in Washington, DC and was asked to develop non-regulatory approaches--a regulatory name for state, local and private sector cooperation--- to wetland and riparian area protection. I was also asked to develop a partnership with the National Audubon Society. The assignment, and my current position with the Chesapeake Bay Program Office of EPA provided me with the opportunity to implement three ideas:
* Demonstrating how federal agencies can, and should, be involved in and lead heritage areas efforts.
* Encouraging heritage area projects to include a significant "natural heritage" element.
* Creating heritage partnerships with major private sector organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and The National Audubon Society.
Natural heritage is not a new concept within the conservation movement. In 1585 Thomas Heriot, member of a voyage to Virginia sponsored by Sir Walter Raliegh, made observations on the new found land and cataogued some of the prominent trees and wildlife species. This mornings panel includes presentations about the activities of two of the long-standing and leading organizations involved in the natural heritage protection movement.
The first speaker is John Humke, Vice President for Agency Relations of The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy, founded in 1951, is an international membership organization committed to global preservation of natural diversity. Its mission is to find, protect, and manage the best examples of communities, ecosystems, and endangered species in the natural world. The Nature Conservancy is beginning to address biological diversity and compatible economic activities at the landscape level. Under the banner of "Last Great Places" the Conservancy is demonstrating that the protection of functioning ecosystems for the preservation of species diversity can accommodate human economic and cultural needs as well.
The second speaker is Walt Pomeroy, Regional Vice President for The National Audubon Society's Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. The National Audubon Society, founded in 1886 by George Bird Grinnel, is a major voice in the American conservation movement. National Audubon can offer a wide variety of programs to help local activitists become more effective. The Society coordinates special acquisition programs, owns and manages preserves and has a committment to provide assistance to chapters. Wetland preservation is one of the National Audubon Society's high-priority campaigns. Audubon staff members support the Wetlands Campaign through research and policy analysis, lobbying and working with lawmakers, as well as through its sanctuaries and education centers.
Last is my presentation which describes a natural heritage corridor we have developed and begun to implement cooperatively with The National Audubon Society and numerous other public agencies and private organizations. Entitled "Audubon's America", this effort attempts to use natural heritage as an organizing theme for public and private conservation action.
"AUDUBON'S AMERICA": A COOPERATIVE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION PROJECT
(1) America has a proud and long standing tradition of natural area protection and management by public agencies, private landowners and private groups such as the National Audubon Society. Since the late 1800's public and private organizations have worked hard and successfully to protect natural areas, rivers, habitat and wildlife. (2) Despite achievements that are both remarkable and significant, America continues to lose more of our natural heritage than we protect each year.
Specifically, (3) today duck populations are still at their lowest levels in history and we continue to lose 250,000 acres of wetlands a year. Over 200 of our inland and marine native fish species are listed as threatened, endangered or sensitive. (4) The endangered species list, which includes 1,258 species, is growing at the rate of 100 plus species annually. (5) Our song birds and neotropical migratory birds are declining as well. In the eastern United States and in the prairie states over 70% of the species monitored have declined and a number of individual species such as the bobolink, wood thrush, and oriole are falling at rates of 3-5% per year.
As I think about these facts, and the current condition of our landscape, I recall one of John James Audubon's journals which describes a trip he took in the early 1800's from Pennsylvania down the Ohio River (6) to his residence in Henderson, Kentucky. Audubon and his family were floating down the Ohio and he reflected on what he was seeing and wrote, "This portion of our Union instead of being in a state of nature, is now more or less covered with villages, farms and towns. The woods are fast disappearing under the axe by day and the fire by night".
(7) Audubon was one of the first nature writers to call for Americans to refocus their vision outward from their individual and corporate self toward the preservation of the species. He, and others, claimed that nature was important not only for it's value to mankind but also for it's value for other living plants and animals.
Natural area protection began in the U.S. with the naturalist and nature writers movement. Concern grew from the destruction of natural areas as the Nation expanded. (8) Nature writers such as Audubon, John Muir, John Burroughs, Susan Fenimore Cooper, Henry Thoreau and others were some of the first to speak out against the destruction of nature. (9) These men and women encouraged people to become acquainted with nature in order to see the values and functions of these places and their benefits to mankind and larger ecosystems.
The nature writers emphasized how important it was for people to make personal connections with nature. (10) These connections would help to change the way people looked at natural areas and would eventually influence decisions about there future use.
(11) Over the last three years the Environmental Protection Agency has been working to go beyond traditional regulatory approaches to protect wetlands, watersheds, natural areas and riparian habitat values. EPA recognizes the need to work cooperatively with others to increase public support for the protection of these heritage areas and values. Cooperatively, with the help of groups like the National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy, EPA has been working to encourage positive relationships between natural areas and people in order to help encourage stewardship and better government decision-making.
Several examples of how EPA has done this include:
* Publication of (12) information on voluntary options for private landowner stewardship of wetland and riparian area values and functions.
* Use of (13) nature writers to assist in the protection of specific natural areas and ecosystems. For example one approach is to encourage nature writers to participate in landscape conservation. Using their skills in "evocative journalism" writers can describe natural areas and help persuade people to make personal connections with these areas and protect them. An EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife sponsored "Natural History and Nature Writing" Workshop is scheduled for June 20-21 in Berkeley Springs, WV.
* Support for creative natural heritage education programs, such as an EPA assisted National Children's Theater childrens play "Willa in Wetlands" which will be performed on March 19 in Alexandria, VA.
* Technical and financial assistance (14) to State and local governments and private groups in the protection of natural heritage areas such as the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Region and Crisfield in Maryland and the Ocean Heritage Highway corridor stretching 1,000 miles from New Jersey to Florida. Endorsed by State and local governments, these multi-objective heritage partnerships are now being implemented.
* Developing and implementing cooperative plans and actions (15) with specific geographic areas and ecosystems such as "Audubon's America".
The idea for "Audubon's America" came from the Great Egg Harbor River local protection effort in New Jersey, and from a 1940 book by Donald Culross Peattie entitled "Audubon's America". The book, which describes the narratives and experiences of Audubon in America, was edited by Paul Brooks a nationally reknown nature writer. Brooks recently indicated that "By associating nature writers and nature writing with a specific part of the country, local groups are following a well established tradition. Almost every nature region in the United States has had its spokesperson: John Burroughs for the Hudson River Country, Henry Thoreau for New England, John Muir for the Sierras, Mary Treat and John McPhee for the NJ Pinelands, Mary Austin and Edward Abbey for our deserts and Ellen Quillin for the San Antonio region of Texas. Thanks to these and other writers, natural areas from Alaska to Florida---areas that might have been lost to uncontrolled lumbering, mining and other development--have been saved for all time."
This natural heritage protection has been achieved by working to change the public's attitude toward natural area protection by building on personal connections between individuals and natural areas in ways which will motivate them to become more acquainted with nature."
What is "Audubon's America" ?
"Audubon's America" is a cooperative effort between the National Audubon Society , EPA, and others to develop a partnership (16) to protect and restore natural areas, values and functions in a 35 State area. The area identified includes places where Audubon lived, traveled, wrote about and painted.
The theme of commemorating Audubon's (17) work, (18) experiences---and more importantly (19) Audubon's value toward nature---is being used to organize, recognize and coordinate a series of federal, state and local government and private sector heritage projects in such a way to raise the public's awareness of the need for the protection of wetlands and other natural areas.
The project is similar to other (20) thematic natural and cultural resource protection projects such as, the EPA and TNC assisted Pocomoke River (21) and Sound Heritage Greenway in Maryland, the National Audubon Society lead "Thoreau's Woods" project (22) in Maine and the TNC assisted South Carolina Heritage Corridor (23). Each of these projects use the natural heritage of a particular landscape as a focus of the protection effort.
"Audubon's America" (24) is a spatially defined and connected system of natural areas which are publically and privately owned and protected. The connected natural areas will serve as an ecological corridor (25) with diverse values and providing for functions such as for (26) species migration, (27) plant and animal habitat, (28) flood-loss reduction, (29) trapping and filtering sediments, toxins and nutrients, (30) recreation, (31) ecological and cultural tourism, (32) bird watching , (33) fine arts and (34) quality of life.
"Audubon's America" (65) recognizes that our work must be focused at ecosystems rather than only at specific sites. For example, the areas that are identified include watersheds and river corridors along some of the major major migratory bird flyways in North America. "Audubon's America" attempts to recognize the importance of the connection between existing public and private protected lands and the need to maintain or to re-establish this ecological connectivity.
The project is a long term coordinated federal, state, and local government and private sector effort. (35) Initially the protection and restoration effort has focused on areas where Audubon traveled, painted, wrote of and lived in and other select areas of similar natural values with strong local support.
What Are the Special Places Included?
Places found along "Audubon's America" include:
* The (36) Lehigh River Valley in Pennsylvania. Local interests recently designated the Lehigh Valley above Jim Thorpe as "Audubon's Lehigh" as part of the management planning process for the Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor. The Audubon's Lehigh River Project is an effort to develop an auto tour and wayside plans which follow the pathways that Audubon traveled during his visit to the Lehigh Gorge and the Great Pine Forest.
* The (37) Lackawanna Heritage Valley in Pennsylvania. Public and private groups, using a greenway planning effort led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have proposed the creation of a "Audubon's Lackawanna River Trail". The trail-greenway corridor would link existing natural areas with proposed restoration and reclamation sites throughout the Valley to provide recreational opportunities, protect and restore wildlife habitat, provide ecological-cultural tourism and interpretive areas and conserve critical resources of the Lackawanna River.
* The Delaware River area, the Schuylkill River Greenway and (38) Mill Grove in Pennsylvania. Mill Grove, on the banks of the Perkiomen Creek near Valley Forge, was where Audubon lived when he first arrived in America. Local interests are working to establish an Audubon National Museum at Mill Grove. Audubon's 208th birthday was celebrated in April 1993 at Mill Grove Sanctuary in Audubon, PA. The celebration included remarks by Mr. Guy Lorcy, President of the Society Audubon of Coueron, France, Audubon's boyhood home.
* In Philadelphia, a base of operation for many past and present nature writers and naturalists, is the Academy of Natural Science which has one of the largest collections of unpublished Audubon materials as well as a complete original "Birds of America" portfolio.
* In New Jersey," Audubon's America" (39) includes one of the Nation's newest National Scenic and Recreational Rivers, the Great Egg Harbor River and the McNamara State Wildlife Management Area.
* The natural heritage corridor crosses the Piedmont of the mid-Atlantic and southeastern States before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina and the (40) Charleston Art Museum where Audubon's paintings are on display.
* "Audubon's America" includes the barrier islands and estuaries of Florida near Jacksonville including the St. Mary's River---a long time favorite of naturalists such as William Bartram and Mary Treat. The corridor winds along the Florida coastline eventually leading to the Florida Keys (41) and Key West the location of the "Audubon House".
* Louisiana is an important part of "Audubon's America" including the Delta-Breton National Wildlife Refuge, (42) the Audubon Zoological Garden in New Orleans, the Audubon State Commemorative Area in St. Francisville and (43) the Mississippi River corridor.
* The Gulf of Mexico coastal region is part of"Audubon's America" with the corridor extending into Texas including the Galveston Bay National Estuary.
* The Mississippi River and (44) the Missouri River, from its confluence with the Mississippi to North Dakota,---including tributaries such as the (45) Platte and Niobraro---are important parts of"Audubon's America". The Platte Valley is critical habitat for migrating whooping and sandhill cranes and the location of the annual National Audubon Society Spring River Conference and International Crane Symposium.
* The Ohio River, including such areas as Henderson and the Audubon State Park and Parkway in Kentucky, (46) Wheeling, West Virginia and sites in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region are also included in this project.
* In New York State the corridor includes the (47) Hudson River Valley Greenway, the Mohawk River area and (48) Niagara Falls.
* "Audubon's America" also includes (49) New England, it's diverse coastline, and the vast forests, crystal clear lakes and sparkling rivers of Maine.
The natural areas and values of "Audubon's America" are some of the most important in the United States. They are worthy of time and protection efforts and warrant a public and private partnership of this type.
How Do You Get Involved?
Private organizations, (51) individuals and government agencies interested in being a part of "Audubon's America" can:
* (52) Agree to co-sponsor the project. Co-sponsors agree to help make "Audubon's America" a reality by forming a locally based coalition or group to develop and implement an action plan for their area. Local efforts are eligible for technical and financial assistance from other cooperators and are coordinated on a county and Statewide basis. Some of the governments and private groups cosponsoring the project include the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Audubon Wildlife Refuge, the Bucks County Conservancy in Pennsylvania, the Terrene Institute and many others.
* (53) You can help to develop strategies for States and regions included in "Audubon's America". Efforts are underway to prepare strategies for recognizing and implementing a system of natural areas within specific states. The eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was selected to be the first region where this type of strategy has been prepared. Copies of a draft strategy for eastern Pennsylvania are available from EPA or The National Audubon Society.
The eastern (54) Pennsylvania strategy was developed at a workshop at Lehigh University in May 1993 and includes natural area protection ideas and actions for portions of the Susquehanna, Delaware, Lehigh, Lackawanna and Schuylkill River watersheds.(55) (56) (57) (58) (59)
"Audubon's America" cosponsors can also:
* Help to design (60) and carry out an action/ demonstration project for specific areas within the" Audubon's America" natural heritage corridor. Demonstration projects can be designed to take important actions for watershed, wetland and river corridor protection and restoration, public and public official education, recreation and ecological tourism.
EPA entered into a first-ever agreement with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to demonstrate that creating partnerships and getting diverse groups of people working together is one of the most effective ways for the agency to broker constructive public involvement in addressing environmental protection issues. Two cooperative projects were undertaken in 1993. (61) One four week project involved eight SCA high school volunteers, the Pocomoke River Alliance and Pocomoke City and resulted in the construction of a 750' Pocomoke River Nature and Exercise Trail within and adjacent to the Cypress Swamp and the Pocomoke River.
The Pocomoke is the northernmost extent of a Southern Cypress Swamp in the U.S.
and an area where such naturalists as Thomas Nuttall visited in the early 1800's.
The Pocomoke project was supplemented with another useful natural heritage project, a natural history review of the watershed compiled by the Chief Wetlands Ecologist for the USEPA. This effort included a historical overview of the Pocomoke Swamp, reportedly once viisted by John Muir, and a discussion of the Pocomoke's
"wilderness" nature. The report also discusses the Pocomoke system as it exists today, emphasizing the area's unique characteristics.
Another two month project involved an SCA student intern, the National Park Service, D & L National Heritage Corridor Commission, the Commonwealth of PA and the National Audubon Society. This effort included assisting the design of an "Audubon's Lehigh" Auto Tour which includes wayside exhibits and interpretive opportunities.
* You can join (62) or become more involved with a local Audubon Society Chapter to help Audubon's America through their "High Priority Wetlands Champaign". The Mid-Atlantic Regional Office of the Society has published a guide to local wetlands protection.
* You can consider (63) supporting proposals which are likely to be introduced in the future to recognize "Audubon's America." Such proposals are expected to provide technical and financial assistance to public and private groups and landowners to voluntarily protect natural areas.
(64) The benefits of participating in "Audubon's America" are many. The challenge to protect the remaining natural areas has never been greater. Much work needs to be done and our time is limited if we expect to save areas and species. A partnership of this type can help States, local governments, the National Audubon Society, EPA and others to protect, preserve, conserve, restore and enjoy important natural areas.
The project has been a (66) way to increase state and National recognition of natural heritage, Audubon the man and the inspiration he left us, the good work of the National Audubon Society and the need to take action to protect these special places and species.
A celebration to recognize the anniversary of Audubon's 1843 Missouri River Expedition was held in May 1993 at the University of Nebraska. Sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries, the Center for Great Plains Studies, the Nebraska Humanities and Arts Council, the Lincoln Corral of Westerners International, EPA and the Terrene Institute. The program included presentations by Lucy Winters Durkin, great, great, great grand-daughter of Audubon and included presentations by historians, art historians, naturalists, and ornithologists on various aspects of
Audubon's work.
Such recognition has helped to (67) stimulate long term heritage partnerships, leverage funds from existing programs and influence public and private decisions which have the potential to impact natural areas, values and functions.
What are the next steps???
(68) A day at the beach you say? No!
(69) A walk in the creek? I think not!
(70) The vision of "Audubon's America" requires hard work and persistence. Start (71) the process by finding out more about the project and agreeing to co-sponsor the effort.
You may want to take some time and visit "Audubon's Lehigh", "Audubon's Lackawanna", Mill Grove, or anyone one of the other places I mentioned. You can also take time and enjoy one of the many books on Audubon's work such as (72) "The Watercolors for The Birds of America" or "Delineations of American Scenery and Character".
If you are interested in helping with a hands on (73) natural heritage project either contact Walt Pomeroy of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Audubon Society or myself or develop one of your own.
(74) Finally, and most importantly, take time to get reacquainted with nature and our natural heritage.
(75) Audubon's travels led him to Louisville, Kentucky where he lived for some time and worked as a merchant. Although evaluations of Audubon's business skills have received mixed reviews, his journals contend that when he concentrated on his business it was successful. He readily admits, however, that he did have considerable difficulty concentrating on business for his first love was nature.
He said, (76) "Birds were birds then as now, and my thoughts were ever and on turning toward them as objects of my greatest delight...........I looked on nature only, my days were happy beyond human conception, and beyond this I really cared not".
I hope that you will join us in the work of Audubon so that we may continue to enjoy and celebrate nature. May you have continued success in your work!!!
Thank you and enjoy the conference!
PROTECTION AGENCY, CHESAPEAKE BAY OFFICE; AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR HERITAGE AREAS: HERITAGE PARTNERSHIPS;
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, D.C.
MARCH 15, 1994
Introduction:
In 1989 while working for the National Park Service I presented a paper, at the National Preservation Conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, prepared by Deidre Gibson, Jonathan Doherty and myself entitled "Heritage Areas: An Approach to Integral Landscape Conservation". In the summary section the paper addressed the federal role in heritage area efforts and recognized that "continuing Federal involvement and leadership is critically important". The paper recognized the leadership role that the National Park Service has had in many heritage effforts. It went further to note that, "The heritage area concept could be also be led by other federal agencies with legislative responsibilities related to natural, cultural, historic, recreational and economic values."
Shortly after I wrote the paper I joined the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Wetlands Office in Washington, DC and was asked to develop non-regulatory approaches--a regulatory name for state, local and private sector cooperation--- to wetland and riparian area protection. I was also asked to develop a partnership with the National Audubon Society. The assignment, and my current position with the Chesapeake Bay Program Office of EPA provided me with the opportunity to implement three ideas:
* Demonstrating how federal agencies can, and should, be involved in and lead heritage areas efforts.
* Encouraging heritage area projects to include a significant "natural heritage" element.
* Creating heritage partnerships with major private sector organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and The National Audubon Society.
Natural heritage is not a new concept within the conservation movement. In 1585 Thomas Heriot, member of a voyage to Virginia sponsored by Sir Walter Raliegh, made observations on the new found land and cataogued some of the prominent trees and wildlife species. This mornings panel includes presentations about the activities of two of the long-standing and leading organizations involved in the natural heritage protection movement.
The first speaker is John Humke, Vice President for Agency Relations of The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy, founded in 1951, is an international membership organization committed to global preservation of natural diversity. Its mission is to find, protect, and manage the best examples of communities, ecosystems, and endangered species in the natural world. The Nature Conservancy is beginning to address biological diversity and compatible economic activities at the landscape level. Under the banner of "Last Great Places" the Conservancy is demonstrating that the protection of functioning ecosystems for the preservation of species diversity can accommodate human economic and cultural needs as well.
The second speaker is Walt Pomeroy, Regional Vice President for The National Audubon Society's Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. The National Audubon Society, founded in 1886 by George Bird Grinnel, is a major voice in the American conservation movement. National Audubon can offer a wide variety of programs to help local activitists become more effective. The Society coordinates special acquisition programs, owns and manages preserves and has a committment to provide assistance to chapters. Wetland preservation is one of the National Audubon Society's high-priority campaigns. Audubon staff members support the Wetlands Campaign through research and policy analysis, lobbying and working with lawmakers, as well as through its sanctuaries and education centers.
Last is my presentation which describes a natural heritage corridor we have developed and begun to implement cooperatively with The National Audubon Society and numerous other public agencies and private organizations. Entitled "Audubon's America", this effort attempts to use natural heritage as an organizing theme for public and private conservation action.
"AUDUBON'S AMERICA": A COOPERATIVE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION PROJECT
(1) America has a proud and long standing tradition of natural area protection and management by public agencies, private landowners and private groups such as the National Audubon Society. Since the late 1800's public and private organizations have worked hard and successfully to protect natural areas, rivers, habitat and wildlife. (2) Despite achievements that are both remarkable and significant, America continues to lose more of our natural heritage than we protect each year.
Specifically, (3) today duck populations are still at their lowest levels in history and we continue to lose 250,000 acres of wetlands a year. Over 200 of our inland and marine native fish species are listed as threatened, endangered or sensitive. (4) The endangered species list, which includes 1,258 species, is growing at the rate of 100 plus species annually. (5) Our song birds and neotropical migratory birds are declining as well. In the eastern United States and in the prairie states over 70% of the species monitored have declined and a number of individual species such as the bobolink, wood thrush, and oriole are falling at rates of 3-5% per year.
As I think about these facts, and the current condition of our landscape, I recall one of John James Audubon's journals which describes a trip he took in the early 1800's from Pennsylvania down the Ohio River (6) to his residence in Henderson, Kentucky. Audubon and his family were floating down the Ohio and he reflected on what he was seeing and wrote, "This portion of our Union instead of being in a state of nature, is now more or less covered with villages, farms and towns. The woods are fast disappearing under the axe by day and the fire by night".
(7) Audubon was one of the first nature writers to call for Americans to refocus their vision outward from their individual and corporate self toward the preservation of the species. He, and others, claimed that nature was important not only for it's value to mankind but also for it's value for other living plants and animals.
Natural area protection began in the U.S. with the naturalist and nature writers movement. Concern grew from the destruction of natural areas as the Nation expanded. (8) Nature writers such as Audubon, John Muir, John Burroughs, Susan Fenimore Cooper, Henry Thoreau and others were some of the first to speak out against the destruction of nature. (9) These men and women encouraged people to become acquainted with nature in order to see the values and functions of these places and their benefits to mankind and larger ecosystems.
The nature writers emphasized how important it was for people to make personal connections with nature. (10) These connections would help to change the way people looked at natural areas and would eventually influence decisions about there future use.
(11) Over the last three years the Environmental Protection Agency has been working to go beyond traditional regulatory approaches to protect wetlands, watersheds, natural areas and riparian habitat values. EPA recognizes the need to work cooperatively with others to increase public support for the protection of these heritage areas and values. Cooperatively, with the help of groups like the National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy, EPA has been working to encourage positive relationships between natural areas and people in order to help encourage stewardship and better government decision-making.
Several examples of how EPA has done this include:
* Publication of (12) information on voluntary options for private landowner stewardship of wetland and riparian area values and functions.
* Use of (13) nature writers to assist in the protection of specific natural areas and ecosystems. For example one approach is to encourage nature writers to participate in landscape conservation. Using their skills in "evocative journalism" writers can describe natural areas and help persuade people to make personal connections with these areas and protect them. An EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife sponsored "Natural History and Nature Writing" Workshop is scheduled for June 20-21 in Berkeley Springs, WV.
* Support for creative natural heritage education programs, such as an EPA assisted National Children's Theater childrens play "Willa in Wetlands" which will be performed on March 19 in Alexandria, VA.
* Technical and financial assistance (14) to State and local governments and private groups in the protection of natural heritage areas such as the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Region and Crisfield in Maryland and the Ocean Heritage Highway corridor stretching 1,000 miles from New Jersey to Florida. Endorsed by State and local governments, these multi-objective heritage partnerships are now being implemented.
* Developing and implementing cooperative plans and actions (15) with specific geographic areas and ecosystems such as "Audubon's America".
The idea for "Audubon's America" came from the Great Egg Harbor River local protection effort in New Jersey, and from a 1940 book by Donald Culross Peattie entitled "Audubon's America". The book, which describes the narratives and experiences of Audubon in America, was edited by Paul Brooks a nationally reknown nature writer. Brooks recently indicated that "By associating nature writers and nature writing with a specific part of the country, local groups are following a well established tradition. Almost every nature region in the United States has had its spokesperson: John Burroughs for the Hudson River Country, Henry Thoreau for New England, John Muir for the Sierras, Mary Treat and John McPhee for the NJ Pinelands, Mary Austin and Edward Abbey for our deserts and Ellen Quillin for the San Antonio region of Texas. Thanks to these and other writers, natural areas from Alaska to Florida---areas that might have been lost to uncontrolled lumbering, mining and other development--have been saved for all time."
This natural heritage protection has been achieved by working to change the public's attitude toward natural area protection by building on personal connections between individuals and natural areas in ways which will motivate them to become more acquainted with nature."
What is "Audubon's America" ?
"Audubon's America" is a cooperative effort between the National Audubon Society , EPA, and others to develop a partnership (16) to protect and restore natural areas, values and functions in a 35 State area. The area identified includes places where Audubon lived, traveled, wrote about and painted.
The theme of commemorating Audubon's (17) work, (18) experiences---and more importantly (19) Audubon's value toward nature---is being used to organize, recognize and coordinate a series of federal, state and local government and private sector heritage projects in such a way to raise the public's awareness of the need for the protection of wetlands and other natural areas.
The project is similar to other (20) thematic natural and cultural resource protection projects such as, the EPA and TNC assisted Pocomoke River (21) and Sound Heritage Greenway in Maryland, the National Audubon Society lead "Thoreau's Woods" project (22) in Maine and the TNC assisted South Carolina Heritage Corridor (23). Each of these projects use the natural heritage of a particular landscape as a focus of the protection effort.
"Audubon's America" (24) is a spatially defined and connected system of natural areas which are publically and privately owned and protected. The connected natural areas will serve as an ecological corridor (25) with diverse values and providing for functions such as for (26) species migration, (27) plant and animal habitat, (28) flood-loss reduction, (29) trapping and filtering sediments, toxins and nutrients, (30) recreation, (31) ecological and cultural tourism, (32) bird watching , (33) fine arts and (34) quality of life.
"Audubon's America" (65) recognizes that our work must be focused at ecosystems rather than only at specific sites. For example, the areas that are identified include watersheds and river corridors along some of the major major migratory bird flyways in North America. "Audubon's America" attempts to recognize the importance of the connection between existing public and private protected lands and the need to maintain or to re-establish this ecological connectivity.
The project is a long term coordinated federal, state, and local government and private sector effort. (35) Initially the protection and restoration effort has focused on areas where Audubon traveled, painted, wrote of and lived in and other select areas of similar natural values with strong local support.
What Are the Special Places Included?
Places found along "Audubon's America" include:
* The (36) Lehigh River Valley in Pennsylvania. Local interests recently designated the Lehigh Valley above Jim Thorpe as "Audubon's Lehigh" as part of the management planning process for the Delaware and Lehigh Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor. The Audubon's Lehigh River Project is an effort to develop an auto tour and wayside plans which follow the pathways that Audubon traveled during his visit to the Lehigh Gorge and the Great Pine Forest.
* The (37) Lackawanna Heritage Valley in Pennsylvania. Public and private groups, using a greenway planning effort led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have proposed the creation of a "Audubon's Lackawanna River Trail". The trail-greenway corridor would link existing natural areas with proposed restoration and reclamation sites throughout the Valley to provide recreational opportunities, protect and restore wildlife habitat, provide ecological-cultural tourism and interpretive areas and conserve critical resources of the Lackawanna River.
* The Delaware River area, the Schuylkill River Greenway and (38) Mill Grove in Pennsylvania. Mill Grove, on the banks of the Perkiomen Creek near Valley Forge, was where Audubon lived when he first arrived in America. Local interests are working to establish an Audubon National Museum at Mill Grove. Audubon's 208th birthday was celebrated in April 1993 at Mill Grove Sanctuary in Audubon, PA. The celebration included remarks by Mr. Guy Lorcy, President of the Society Audubon of Coueron, France, Audubon's boyhood home.
* In Philadelphia, a base of operation for many past and present nature writers and naturalists, is the Academy of Natural Science which has one of the largest collections of unpublished Audubon materials as well as a complete original "Birds of America" portfolio.
* In New Jersey," Audubon's America" (39) includes one of the Nation's newest National Scenic and Recreational Rivers, the Great Egg Harbor River and the McNamara State Wildlife Management Area.
* The natural heritage corridor crosses the Piedmont of the mid-Atlantic and southeastern States before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina and the (40) Charleston Art Museum where Audubon's paintings are on display.
* "Audubon's America" includes the barrier islands and estuaries of Florida near Jacksonville including the St. Mary's River---a long time favorite of naturalists such as William Bartram and Mary Treat. The corridor winds along the Florida coastline eventually leading to the Florida Keys (41) and Key West the location of the "Audubon House".
* Louisiana is an important part of "Audubon's America" including the Delta-Breton National Wildlife Refuge, (42) the Audubon Zoological Garden in New Orleans, the Audubon State Commemorative Area in St. Francisville and (43) the Mississippi River corridor.
* The Gulf of Mexico coastal region is part of"Audubon's America" with the corridor extending into Texas including the Galveston Bay National Estuary.
* The Mississippi River and (44) the Missouri River, from its confluence with the Mississippi to North Dakota,---including tributaries such as the (45) Platte and Niobraro---are important parts of"Audubon's America". The Platte Valley is critical habitat for migrating whooping and sandhill cranes and the location of the annual National Audubon Society Spring River Conference and International Crane Symposium.
* The Ohio River, including such areas as Henderson and the Audubon State Park and Parkway in Kentucky, (46) Wheeling, West Virginia and sites in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region are also included in this project.
* In New York State the corridor includes the (47) Hudson River Valley Greenway, the Mohawk River area and (48) Niagara Falls.
* "Audubon's America" also includes (49) New England, it's diverse coastline, and the vast forests, crystal clear lakes and sparkling rivers of Maine.
The natural areas and values of "Audubon's America" are some of the most important in the United States. They are worthy of time and protection efforts and warrant a public and private partnership of this type.
How Do You Get Involved?
Private organizations, (51) individuals and government agencies interested in being a part of "Audubon's America" can:
* (52) Agree to co-sponsor the project. Co-sponsors agree to help make "Audubon's America" a reality by forming a locally based coalition or group to develop and implement an action plan for their area. Local efforts are eligible for technical and financial assistance from other cooperators and are coordinated on a county and Statewide basis. Some of the governments and private groups cosponsoring the project include the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Audubon Wildlife Refuge, the Bucks County Conservancy in Pennsylvania, the Terrene Institute and many others.
* (53) You can help to develop strategies for States and regions included in "Audubon's America". Efforts are underway to prepare strategies for recognizing and implementing a system of natural areas within specific states. The eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was selected to be the first region where this type of strategy has been prepared. Copies of a draft strategy for eastern Pennsylvania are available from EPA or The National Audubon Society.
The eastern (54) Pennsylvania strategy was developed at a workshop at Lehigh University in May 1993 and includes natural area protection ideas and actions for portions of the Susquehanna, Delaware, Lehigh, Lackawanna and Schuylkill River watersheds.(55) (56) (57) (58) (59)
"Audubon's America" cosponsors can also:
* Help to design (60) and carry out an action/ demonstration project for specific areas within the" Audubon's America" natural heritage corridor. Demonstration projects can be designed to take important actions for watershed, wetland and river corridor protection and restoration, public and public official education, recreation and ecological tourism.
EPA entered into a first-ever agreement with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to demonstrate that creating partnerships and getting diverse groups of people working together is one of the most effective ways for the agency to broker constructive public involvement in addressing environmental protection issues. Two cooperative projects were undertaken in 1993. (61) One four week project involved eight SCA high school volunteers, the Pocomoke River Alliance and Pocomoke City and resulted in the construction of a 750' Pocomoke River Nature and Exercise Trail within and adjacent to the Cypress Swamp and the Pocomoke River.
The Pocomoke is the northernmost extent of a Southern Cypress Swamp in the U.S.
and an area where such naturalists as Thomas Nuttall visited in the early 1800's.
The Pocomoke project was supplemented with another useful natural heritage project, a natural history review of the watershed compiled by the Chief Wetlands Ecologist for the USEPA. This effort included a historical overview of the Pocomoke Swamp, reportedly once viisted by John Muir, and a discussion of the Pocomoke's
"wilderness" nature. The report also discusses the Pocomoke system as it exists today, emphasizing the area's unique characteristics.
Another two month project involved an SCA student intern, the National Park Service, D & L National Heritage Corridor Commission, the Commonwealth of PA and the National Audubon Society. This effort included assisting the design of an "Audubon's Lehigh" Auto Tour which includes wayside exhibits and interpretive opportunities.
* You can join (62) or become more involved with a local Audubon Society Chapter to help Audubon's America through their "High Priority Wetlands Champaign". The Mid-Atlantic Regional Office of the Society has published a guide to local wetlands protection.
* You can consider (63) supporting proposals which are likely to be introduced in the future to recognize "Audubon's America." Such proposals are expected to provide technical and financial assistance to public and private groups and landowners to voluntarily protect natural areas.
(64) The benefits of participating in "Audubon's America" are many. The challenge to protect the remaining natural areas has never been greater. Much work needs to be done and our time is limited if we expect to save areas and species. A partnership of this type can help States, local governments, the National Audubon Society, EPA and others to protect, preserve, conserve, restore and enjoy important natural areas.
The project has been a (66) way to increase state and National recognition of natural heritage, Audubon the man and the inspiration he left us, the good work of the National Audubon Society and the need to take action to protect these special places and species.
A celebration to recognize the anniversary of Audubon's 1843 Missouri River Expedition was held in May 1993 at the University of Nebraska. Sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries, the Center for Great Plains Studies, the Nebraska Humanities and Arts Council, the Lincoln Corral of Westerners International, EPA and the Terrene Institute. The program included presentations by Lucy Winters Durkin, great, great, great grand-daughter of Audubon and included presentations by historians, art historians, naturalists, and ornithologists on various aspects of
Audubon's work.
Such recognition has helped to (67) stimulate long term heritage partnerships, leverage funds from existing programs and influence public and private decisions which have the potential to impact natural areas, values and functions.
What are the next steps???
(68) A day at the beach you say? No!
(69) A walk in the creek? I think not!
(70) The vision of "Audubon's America" requires hard work and persistence. Start (71) the process by finding out more about the project and agreeing to co-sponsor the effort.
You may want to take some time and visit "Audubon's Lehigh", "Audubon's Lackawanna", Mill Grove, or anyone one of the other places I mentioned. You can also take time and enjoy one of the many books on Audubon's work such as (72) "The Watercolors for The Birds of America" or "Delineations of American Scenery and Character".
If you are interested in helping with a hands on (73) natural heritage project either contact Walt Pomeroy of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Audubon Society or myself or develop one of your own.
(74) Finally, and most importantly, take time to get reacquainted with nature and our natural heritage.
(75) Audubon's travels led him to Louisville, Kentucky where he lived for some time and worked as a merchant. Although evaluations of Audubon's business skills have received mixed reviews, his journals contend that when he concentrated on his business it was successful. He readily admits, however, that he did have considerable difficulty concentrating on business for his first love was nature.
He said, (76) "Birds were birds then as now, and my thoughts were ever and on turning toward them as objects of my greatest delight...........I looked on nature only, my days were happy beyond human conception, and beyond this I really cared not".
I hope that you will join us in the work of Audubon so that we may continue to enjoy and celebrate nature. May you have continued success in your work!!!
Thank you and enjoy the conference!
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