LOS CAMINOS DEL RIO

LOS CAMINOS DEL RIO
REMARKS BY J. GLENN EUGSTER
Striking a Balance Between Economies and Ecology
McAllen, Texas
January 27, 1995

INTRODUCTION

MORE AND MORE COMMUNITIES TRYING TO BALANCE ECONOMY WITH ECOLOGYÄ Ä

MANY OTHER PLACES WITH A RICH AND IMPORTANT CULTURE, COMBINED WITH SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AND WILDLIFE VALUES.

PLACES LIKE VIRGINIA'S EASTERN SHORE; EDISTO RIVER BASIN IN SC;
PLATTEE RIVER VALLEY IN NEBRASKA; AND HERE IN LOS CAMINOS DEL RIO.
REGIONS, SUCH AS YOURS, WHICH STILL HAVE BOTH CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE VALUES ARE PLACES WHICH HAVE BEEN BLESSED.Ä Ä

HERITAGE CORRIDORS: A PROVEN APPROACH FOR UNIFYING COMMUNITIES AND INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
WHAT MAKES THIS APPROACH DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS? MORE SCIENTIFIC; HOLLISTIC; DEMOCRATIC; POTENTIAL TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ECOLOGICAL VALUES;


HOW DO WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC SIDE OF HERITAGE CORRIDORS?
DEVELOPMENT AND ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION ARE INSEPERABLE.

ECONOMIC CONNECTION:

BENEFITS: 1) DIRECT ECONOMIC PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, SERVICES

2) INDIRECT SECONDARY BENEFITS ACHIEVED THRU THE PROTECTION, PRESERVATION, INTERPRETATION AND USE OF LANDSCAPES, BUILDINGS, LIFESTYLES, CULTURES AND TRADITIONS.

PAST HERITAGE CORRIDORS HAVE PROVEN THAT BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT ECONOMIC BENEFITS ARE CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROJECTS.

HERITAGE AREA CONCEPT: Ä ÄORIGINALLY ENVISIONED AS A WAY TO COMBINE PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, TOURISM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

RECOGNIZES NATURAL AND CULTURAL VALUES BUT IN AN ECOSYSTEM CONCEPT WHICH INCLUDES HUMANS AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES. CONCEPT OF HUMAN ECOLOGY; IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND LANDSCAPES HOLLISTIC APPROACH, MULTIDISCIPLINE AND MULTIOBJECTIVE.

MULTIOBJECTIVE???? KEY CONCEPT: SIMULTANEOUSLY ACHIEVE DIFFERENT GOALS WITHOUT DESTROYING VALUES & FUNCTIONS.

RECOGNITION OF VALUES IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF YOUR PLAN. REFLECTS SPECIAL PLACES AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANT QUALITIES OF THE EVERYDAY/ LIVING LANDSCAPE. PLAN IS THE HEART/ SPIRIT OF THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE. VALUES MOTIVATE. WE NEED KNOWLEDGE BUT MOTIVATION IS THE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF THESE CORRIDORS.

RECOGNIZING VALUES IS A WAY TO HOLD UP WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRULY IMPORTANT. VALUES SUSTAIN EFFORTS. (IE. SACRED PLACES SUMMIT IN ANNAPOLIS, MD.)

WHY SHOULD EPA GET INVOLVED IN HERITAGE AREAS?

REMEMBER MY REFERENCE TO ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMICS!
EPA, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INTERESTS CAN, AND SHOULD BE, A PARTNER IN THESE EFFORTS.


ECONOMIC & ECOLOGIC CONNECTION: HOW DO THESE TWO VALUES FIT TOGETHER?

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE ECONOMIC©ECOLOGIC BALANCE IS DONE RANDOMLY.
DECISIONS ARE OFTEN UNRELATED, FAIL TO CONSIDER THE LARGER ECOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAN OFTEN CONFLICT. THESE EFFORTS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE A MORE APPROPRIATE AND BENEFICAL FIT.

1) DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE©BASED ECONOMIC PROJECTS WITHIN YOUR CORRIDOR. INTEGRATE LOCAL IDEAS. SORT THRU AND IDENTIFY THE ONES THAT FIT THE COMMUNITIES VISION OF THE CORRIDOR. (IE. CRISFIELD, MD. TOWN MEETINGS©©©JENKINS CREEK RESEARCH & EDUCATION CENTER; D & L NATIONAL CORRIDOR©©AUDUBON'S LEHIGH; LACKAWANNA RIVER VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION CENTER )

2) VISUALIZE WHAT A SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGIC BALANCE IS.
WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? VISUALIZE WHAT THE LAND WILL LOOK LIKE; THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT; COMMUNITIES; (IE. BALTIMORE NEIGHBORHOODS©©©ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, CAREERS, BUSINESSES & EMPOWERMENT; ON THE DELMARVA PENNINSULA REGION LOCAL INTERESTS ARE USING THE LOCATION ON THE ATLANTIC FLYWAY MIGRATORY BIRD ROUTE AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE HABITAT PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE USE AND DEVELOPMENT)

3) DETERMINE WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OR Ã ÃINDICATORSÄ Ä OF SUCCESSFUL ECONOMNY AND ECOLOGY ARE. TAKE A SNAP SHOT OF WHERE YOU ARE NOW

IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING THESE HERITAGE INDICATORS. THESE HERITAGE INDICATORS CAN BE DEVELOPED INTO QUANTIFIABLE GOALS TO ASSESS THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE CORRIDOR, MEASURE RESULTS, DEMONSTRATE BENEFITS; AND MAKE YOUR LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE.

ECONOMIC, COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS CAN BE USED TO HELP GUAGE HOW THE CORRIDOR IS DOING ECOLOGICALLY, SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. THIS INFORMATION CAN BE USED TO TARGET FUTURE RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTIONS. (CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM INDICATORS, CIVIC INDEX)

4) CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY AND MULTIOBJECTIVE FOCUS. BRING THE INTERESTS AND EXPERTS TOGETHER WHO HAVE A STAKE IN THE ECONOMY AND THE ECOLOGY OF THE AREA. FIND COMMON GROUND.
(IE. VA EASTERN SHORE: ONE©STOP SHOP FOR BUSINESS ASSISTANCE TO HELP AND GUIDE DEVELOPMENT)

5) DIVERSIFY PARTNERSHIPS TO INCLUDE MORE ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGIC INTERESTS. (IE. SWPA; LACKAWANNA VALLEY; D&L; LOWER EASTERN SHORE©©NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY; USA COE; EPA; FS; FWS)

6) FOCUS ON INCREASING LOCAL CAPABILITES TO TAKE ACTION (IE. CONTINUE TO DOCUMENT LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES; BRING SERVICE PROVIDERS TO VALLEY; HELP COMMUNITIES HELP THEMSELVES)
(IE. EASTON WATERFOWL FESTIVAL RAISES MONEY FOR LOCAL PROJECTS)

7) CONTINUE TO TIE INTO OTHER NETWORKS INVOLVED IN THESE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS (IE. PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDIES; NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAMS; NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES; INTERNATIONAL COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP EXCHANGE; MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIPS; PARTNERS IN FLIGHT, ETC)

8) FINALLY, CONTINUE TO DRAW ON THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHER HERITAGE CORRIDORS. THESE APPROACHES HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN MANY AREAS AND THE RESULTS MAY BE HELPFUL IN ADVANCING YOUR WORK.

I WISH YOU SUCCESS IN YOUR WORK!!!! THANK YOU!




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à ÃBIOGRAPHY OF J. GLENN EUGSTER

GLENN EUGSTER IS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT AT EPA'S CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM OFFICE. HIS RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE WORKING WITH STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE GROUPS ON LAND, GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES WITHIN A 64,000 SQUARE MILE WATERSHED. GLENN'S CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDE ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL HERITAGE PROJECTS WITHIN THE DELMARVA PENINSULA, SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND THE POTOMAC RIVER VALLEY. HE IS ALSO CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP EXCHANGE.

PRIOR TO JOINING EPA IN 1989, GLENN WORKED FOR THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WHERE HE HELPED WITH THE DESIGNATION OF THE THE BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY AND THE DELAWARE AND LEHIGH CANAL AREAS AS NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDORS. HE ALSO CO©FOUNDED THE NPS'S RIVERS, TRAILS AND CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.



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