NPS ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE POTOMAC AHR

NPS ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE POTOMAC AHR

OVERVIEW: TWO RESPONSES TO NPS ROLE— 1) FAMILIAR WITH NPS ASSISTANCE SERVICES SUCH AS RTCA; 2) LEAD AGENCY ROLE AND LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR BUY-IN AND ASSISTANCE AT THE FIELD LEVEL.

NPS LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY AND MAJOR PLAYER IN THE WATERSHED. 39 +/- UNITS, INCLUDING C&O CANAL WHICH FOLLOWS RIVER—RECREATION AND INTERPRETATION SPINE; PRINCE WM. FOREST PARK—SMALL WATERSHED PROTECTED BY NPS AND MILITARY FOR WATER QUALITY; ROCK CREEK WATERSHED—OLMSTEAD DESIGN. ALSO HAVE THE POTOMAC HERITAGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL AND PARKWAYS.
INTERVIEWED DIRECTOR STANTON—FORMERLY REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR OF NPS-NCR. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? NPS LAND MANAGERS SHOULD BE EXEMPLARY OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LAND STEWARD IN THE AHR WATERSHED.

KEY-NPS LAND MANAGERS MORE LIKE COMMUNITY LEADERS THAN FEDS—LOOKING AT OUR FIELD PEOPLE AS ANOTHER TYPE OF COMMUNITY LEADER—IMPACTING AND BEING IMPACTED BY OTHERS. SORT OF LIKE LEOPOLD’S “COMMUNITY CONCEPT” AND THE RESEARCH WHICH THE MARSH-BILLINGS-ROCKEFELLER NHP IS DOING.

WORK SESSION WITH NPS MANAGERS TO ASK THEM 1) WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR THE FRIENDS? AND 2) WHAT CAN THE FRIENDS DO FOR YOU? ASKED THEM TO IDENTIFY 3-5-7 RIVER-RELATED TASKS THAT THEY THOUGHT THE AHR COULD HELP WITH. USING PARTNERS IN PARKS TO ASSIST WITH PARK SPECIFIC MEETINGS.
DESIGNED A SERIES OF PUBLIC LAND STEWARDSHIP FORUMS TO BRING COMMUNITY LEADERS TOGETHER WITH NPS LAND AND PROGRAM MANAGERS. FIRST MEETING TO BE IN ANACOSTIA WATERSHED—INTEREST IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORK FROM TORONTO.

5. TEAMED WITH EPA’S CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM AND CEQ TO HAVE A FORUM, WITH OTHER FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS ON WAYS TO IMPLEMENT WET WEATHER POLLUTION PREVENTION WITHIN THE ANACOSTIA AND ROCK CREEK WATERSHEDS. DC’S IS THREATENING TO PROPOSE USE OF NPS LANDS FOR STORMWATER RETENTION PONDS AND WE WILL USE PARTNERS IN PARKS TO 1) DOCUMENT NPS STORMWATER EFFORTS; 2) IDENTIFY BMP’S FOR OUR MANAGERS TO USE WHEN THEY DESIGN A NEW AREA; 3) TAP INTO THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ON GREEN URBANISM BY ICMA; EPA’S OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND UVA—TIM BEATLEY’S BOOK WITH THE LINCOLN LAND INSTITUTE ON GREEN URBANISM.

ALSO FELT THAT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER’S EFFORTS DIDN’T NECESSARILY REPRESENT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WATERSHED. SPOKE WITH PROGRAM PEOPLE IN THE NCR ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN EFFORTS AND LEARNED OF 1) INTERNATIONAL NETWORK TO FREEDOM ASSOCIATION; 2) UNDERGROUND RAILROAD EFFORT. USED A STUDENT FOR TEN WEEKS TO DO A PROJECT CALLED “THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE RIVER LINK”.


7. ALSO GETTING PROJECT ASSISTANCE FROM NPS RTCA FOR SEVERAL PROJECTS. RTCA IS A KEY PLAYER WITH THE POTOMAC HERITAGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.