A Commitment to the Potomac

A Commitment to the Potomac

Potomac American Heritage River Initiative
Summary September 14, 2001
National Park Service, National Capital Region
Partnerships Office

Background: NPS is the lead federal government agency for the Friends of the Potomac's "Potomac American Heritage River (AHR) Initiative". Since November 1998 the National Park Service's National Capital Region (NCR) has been providing assistance to the Friends, their member organizations, and others "to help communities throughout the watershed in their efforts to conserve natural resources and create new business opportunities while retaining their distinctive local character and traditions".

In July 1999 the National Park Service entered into a Memorandum of Agreement and committed to:
Cooperate with the Friends to develop strategies for achieving the goals of the AHR and the Potomac Nomination;
Assist the Friends in identifying Federal agencies and existing federal programs that might contribute to the goals of the AHR and the Nomination; and,
Provide support for the River Navigator.


Existing Commitments: NPS, along with other federal government agencies, has made a number of "Commitments to the Potomac" and the Friends of the Potomac to implement the Presidential Executive Order (#13061) that created this initiative. A series of commitments were agreed to on July 30, 1999 and on July 29, 2000 at the annual Potomac River Day celebration. These technical and financial assistance commitments have been the focus of the National Park Service and the River Navigator. Major priorities for NPS include:

Leadership Potomac: NPS provided seed-funds to design the Leadership Potomac effort to inform, inspire, and motivate a growing leadership cadre in the watershed.

Public Land Stewardship: NPS has created the "Greater Washington National Parks Fund" to help raise private funds to compliment public funds for thirteen NPS units within the Potomac River watershed.

Community Partnership Workshops: NPS has helped to design the Community Partner Workshops Program, securing funding for local services, and assist with community-led forums in MD, VA, WV and the District of Columbia.

Regional Heritage Tourism Initiative: NPS supported an inventory of existing locally-led natural and cultural resource-based tourism efforts within the Potomac River watershed.

Water Quality and Living Resource Protection: NPS worked with WV and other federal government agencies to evaluate the feasibility for using an integrated waste facility to manage and dispose of poultry and municipal waste in WV.

Potomac River Watershed Partnerships Office: NPS created a Partnerships Office "to find ways to use partnerships to help NPS park and program managers, and community leaders meet National, State and local goals and objectives within the Potomac River watershed".

The Potomac River Center: NPS and the General Services Administration made free office space available for the Friends of the Potomac, and their member organizations, to create the Potomac River Center.

Nation's River Bass Tournament: NPS hosts the annual Potomac Bass-fishing tournament, lead by the Alexandria Seaport Foundation and the Friends of the Potomac, at park sites along the George Washington Memorial Parkway within the District and Virginia.


Support to Member Organizations: NPS provides technical, financial and information assistance to a number of the Friends partner organizations to support important watershed efforts that are identified in the Potomac AHR Nomination--the basis for the river's recognition. Major priority areas include:

Bridging the Watershed: Working with the Alice Ferguson Foundation, NPS is providing assistance to bring teachers and students to National Parks to conduct multidisciplinary, hands-on activities.

Green Marina Program: Working with DC and EPA, NPS is creating a guide for developing marinas on the Anacostia and Potomac that use best management practices for managing water, waste and air quality.

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit: NPS is partnering with other federal agencies and universities to improve the delivery of scientific services needed by resource management and environmental agencies through the creation of a Potomac/ Chesapeake Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit in Frostburg, MD.

U.S.-Germany Exchange: NPS, Environmental Protection Agency, Housing and Urban Development and the Glynwood Center are teaming with local and international experts to look at ways to better manage the urban watersheds of the Potomac. The exchange will feature visits to Germany and local communities here in the Potomac valley starting in 2002.

Jaeger Tract Assistance: With the help of the newly created Friends of Greenbelt Park, and the National Parks Trust, NPS is helping to meet Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay riparian corridor restoration goals by acquiring 17 acres of land near Still Run to complete Greenbelt National Park.

Potomac Heritage Tourism Conference: NPS is assisting the Potomac Heritage Partnership with a watershed-wide heritage tourism conference on November 8-9, 2001 in LaPlata, MD. The watershed-wide forum is aimed at those involved with heritage sites, historic communities and trails.

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail: NPS, working with the Potomac Trail Council and others, uses federal funds to support a variety of recreation, conservation and interpretation activities along the 425-mile trail corridor from the mouth of the Potomac to the Allegheny Highlands. Federal funds are matched on a four-to-one basis to help support a coalition of trails groups to further this Potomac watershed-wide recreation and interpretation infrastructure. Priorities include helping to provide a basic level of coordination among a variety of individuals, agencies and organizations; recognizing Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail supporters; bringing greater public attention to the Potomac Trail concept; and encouraging new opportunities for outdoor recreation and expanded tourism throughout the corridor.

Potomac Gorge Conservation: Working with the Potomac Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy, NPS is assisting with the development and implementation of a conservation strategy for the Potomac Gorge.

Casey Trees Endowment: NPS is working with the District of Columbia and the Casey Trees Endowment Fund, to assist with the preservation and restoration of the tree canopy over the District of Columbia.


Existing Program Assistance: NPS provides support to the Friends member organizations through a variety of existing programs such as:

Gateways & Water Trails: The NPS Chesapeake Bay Program Office has provided financial and technical assistance to States, local governments and the private groups in the watershed through the Chesapeake Bay Gateway Grants. Sixteen competitive grants have gone to the watershed including the Potomac River Water Trail. The Trail, sponsored by the Commonwealth of VA, the State of MD and NPS, links the Potomac from the District of Columbia to the Chesapeake Bay.

Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance (RTCA): NPS, through the Northeast Regional Office in Philadelphia, provides technical and financial assistance--through cooperative agreements, to Friends of the Potomac member organizations. Current projects include a Georges Creek, MD Watershed Restoration Action Strategy, the Mid-Atlantic Governors Greenways Conference, a Watts Branch Clean-up Project in D.C., a Western Potomac Rail Corridor Trails Assessment, a North Branch of the Potomac Riparian Buffer Project and a Lower Potomac Land Conservation Strategy in VA and MD.

In addition, a new RTCA Office will be established at the Potomac River Center.

Existing Park Partnerships: The 14 Greater Washington National Parks undertake a wide variety of partnership projects each year. For a sample of these activities, all of which are in the watershed, see the attached status report, "Greater Washington National Park Service Existing Partnership Activities, September 14, 2001.


For More Information: For more information on the Potomac American Heritage River Initiative contact:

i Potomac River Navigator, Dr. Glenn Kinser, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, on detail to the National Park Service, P.O. Box 447, Shepherdstown, WV 25443. By phone: (304)535-2906; By fax: (304)-535-6059; By E-mail: glenn_kinser@nps.gov

i National Park Service, Partnerships Office, J. Glenn Eugster, Assistant Regional Director, National Capital Region, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Room 350, Washington, D.C. 20242. By phone: (202)619-7492; By fax: (202)619-7220; By E-mail: glenn_eugster@nps.gov