Potomac Heritage Tourism Talking Points

Glenn Eugster
10/30/2001 12:52 PM
To:
cc:
bcc:
Subject: Potomac Heritage Tourism Talking Points


Joe,

Here is an outline for you to use for your remarks at the Nov. 8 Potomac
Heritage Tourism Conference in LaPlata, MD.

Draft Remarks for Joe Lawler: Potomac Heritage Tourism Conference


Good Morning! It's a pleasure to be here representing the National Park
Service's National Capital Region at the first Potomac Heritage Tourism
Conference. Thanks to Harry Belin, Janice Artemel and Scott Gerloff and
the entire Potomac Heritage Partnership, and their sponsors and participating
partners for putting on this important forum.

The National Capital Region of NPS manages 14 park units, 2,213 employees,
and a variety of park and local government and private sector assistance programs
within the Potomac River watershed. We are excited to be a part of this
conference because the objectives of heritage tourism within the Potomac
watershed reinforce the Mission and Guiding Principles of the National Park
Service, and vice versa.

We are committed to conserving our natural values, recreation areas and
open spaces. We are committed to preserving our cultural and historical
treasures and the important stories that they reflect in a heritage that belongs to
all of us. We recognize the importance of these natural and cultural assets to
the local and regional economies. Most importantly we are aware, and
appreciate greatly, the work that all of you have done to make this watershed the
unique heritage tourism destination that it is.

We are happy to be partners with all of you as you discuss the past,
present and future of heritage tourism within the Potomac River watershed. In many
ways we consider NPS and the lands that we manage within the basin to be part of
the heritage tourism infrastructure recreation, preservation and
interpretation.

Infrastructure is normally a term we use to refer to those public
utilities that make it possible to live, work and visit this area, such as roads,
sewer-lines, railroads, power-lines, and storm drains. However, if you think of the
Potomac watershed as a destination for a unique kind of authentic and quality
tourism, then it makes sense to think of all of our parks, historic sites,
communities, open space and recreation areas as part of the infrastructure that serves the heritage tourist.

The heritage tourism infrastructure that we manage, as part of the heritage
tourism effort here in the Potomac includes:

2,000,000 museum objects
88,500 acres of parkland
3, 059 historic structures
800 archaeologic sites
717 miles of trails and bike paths
250 miles of riverfront
152 statues
110 square miles of open space
22 historic forts
7 presidential memorials
5 scenic parkways
4 civil war battlefields
3 historic canals
And, 1 White House

As you talk about heritage tourism the next two days, keep us in mind. If
you aren't working with our park or regional office managers there may be an
occasion to work together to achieve your objectives and ours. Contact us
if you are interested in preserving the natural and cultural resources and
values of the National Park System, and other public and private lands, for the
enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

Think of us when your planning services to visitors and partners. Keep us in mind
when you think about how we might collaborate to achieve common goals. Consider
working with us if you are educating visitors and the general public about
their history and common heritage.

Not to long ago we interviewed our Park Superintendents as part of a
strategy we are developing for the the Greater Washington National Parks. Some of the conversations reflected just how special some of our park managers feel
that this watershed is. For example, Don Campbell, Superintendent of Harpers
Ferry National Historic Park said that "NCR parks constitute the icons of the
Nation's history. We have the best parks and we should market them as a complete
product--not just as individual parks and sites".

Don feels, as I'm sure that you and I do, that that the Potomac River
watershed is unique. He said, "It's the Grand Canyon of the Nation's cultural
resources. If you were to compare our parks against those of other regions, and do a
side-by-side evaluation, we'd come out ahead each time. We've got it all".

Enjoy the conference and Southern Maryland. Be sure to also take time to
visit and enjoy the unique heritage of the Potomac River watershed.