REMEMBERING FREDERICK GUTHEIM
POTOMAC FUTURE
FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE POTOMAC—1979 AND THE NATIONWIDE RIVERS INVENTORY
--RESEARCHED RIVER AND THEN DOCUMENTED LAND USE CHANGE AND RESOURCE QUALITIES USING LOW ALTITUDE HELICOPTER FLIGHTS
LATER I WOULD WORK ON THE POTOMAC AS PART OF DOI’S AREAS OF NATIONAL CONCERN EFFORT, NPS RTCA PROGRAM ASSISTANCE, AND THEN AS A MEMBER OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM PARTICIPATING ON THE ICPRB-LED POTOMAC RIVER WATERSHED VISIONS PROJECT
MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE VALUES AND FUNCTIONS—AND HERITAGE OF THE POTOMAC WASN’T FREDERICK GUTHEIM BUT RATHER THROUGH THE WORDS AND WRITINGS OF IAN MCHARG, THEN CHAIR OF THE UNIV. OF PA. GRAD SCHOOL’S DEPT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & REGIONAL PLANNING. MR. MCHARG, AS YOU KNOW JOINED MR. GUTHEIM—AND OTHERS SUCH AS GRADY CLAY AND ED BACON, ON SEC. UDALL’S POTOMAC PLANNING TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE WAS DIRECTED BY PRESIDENT JOHNSON TO”CLEAN UP THE RIVER AND KEEP IT CLEAN…PROTECT IT’S NATURAL BEAUTIES …PROVIDE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND SO FORTH”.
PRESIDENT’S JOHNSON’S NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVE JOINED MR. MCHARG AND MR. GUTHEIM TO WORK “TO RESTORE AND PROTECT OUR HERITAGE OF NATIONAL RESOURCES AND TO INTRODUCE NEW TECHNIQUES THAT WILL ENHANCE MAN’S OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT”.
AS I SPOKE WITH KAREN ZACHARY AND OTHERS ABOUT FREDERICK GUTHEIM AND THE INFLUENCE HE HAS HAD ON YOUR CAREER’S I THOUGHT OF MR. MCHARG’S WORK ON THE POTOMAC, AND OTHER REGIONS, AND SAW MY CAREER INFLUENCED IN A SIMILAR WAY. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT WAS ASSEMBLED IN 1965 REFLECTS A FUNDAMENTAL RECOGNITION THAT THE POTOMAC’S FUTURE REQUIRES A BLEND OF PERSPECTIVES, EXPERTISE AND VALUES.
WHEN PHIL ASKED ME TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE POTOMAC I GLADLY ACCEPTED SINCE MY CURRENT DUTIES AS AHR NAVIGATOR , AND MY PAST INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CBP AND THE ICPRB’S “VISION” PROJECT, FOCUS ON IDEAS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR THE FUTURE. AS YOU KNOW THE POTOMAC AMERICAN HERITAGE RIVER INITIATIVE, LED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE POTOMAC, IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO RESTORE, REVITALIZE AND PROTECT THE WATERSHED. IT’S AIMED AT HELPING COMMUNITIES HELP THEMSELVES TO IMPLEMENT THEIR VISION OF THE FUTURE OF THE WATERSHED.
THE FUTURE, LIKE OUR PAST, IS SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE IN COMMON. AND LIKE OUR HERITAGE, WE ALL HAVE A FUTURE AND IT IS ONE OF THE SOCIETAL CONCEPTS THAT PERIODICALLY BRINGS US TOGETHER.
THE FUTURE OF THE POTOMAC DEPENDS ON A LOT OF THINGS. MOST OF ALL IT DEPENDS ON WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS A WATERSHED COMMUNITY AT A GIVEN POINT IN TIME? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT WE AS A COMMUNITY---HUMANS AND NATURE, THINK SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE DECIDE TO GET THERE.
UDALL’S PLAN OF 1967, VIEWED BY MANY AS UNSUCCESSFUL , SURELY TAUGHT US THAT THESE QUESTIONS AREN’T SIMPLE AND THEY INVOLVE THE OPINIONS AND RIGHTS OF EVERYONE.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE DOES REQUIRE THAT WE EXAMINE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A WATERSHED COMMUNITY. IT REQUIRES US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE WATERSHED AND THE RIVER FUNCTION ECOLOGICALLY AND HYDROLOGICALLY, BUT ALSO SOCIALLY/ CULTURALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. AND WE’VE LEARNED FROM EFFORTS LIKE THE 1967 POTOMAC PLANNING TASK FORCE THAT PEOPLE’S VALUES ARE AS IMPORTANT AS AN OTHER VALUES IN THE POTOMAC WATERSHED.
AS A WATERSHED RESIDENT AND CONSERVATION PRACTITIONER MY SENSE IS THAT THE FUTURE OF THE POTOMAC IS BEING SHAPED BY:
GROWTH---COMMUNITIES AND THE REGION ARE PROSPEROUS IN MANY AREAS AND SEEKING NEW ECONOMIES IN OTHER REGIONS.
WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY---GROWTH REQUIRES WATER AND THE POTOMAC HAS INHERENT CAPACITY.
HERITAGE---AS THINGS CHANGE PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO RETAIN ---. AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CULTURAL HERITAGE AND NATURAL HERITAGE—OR LIVING RESOURCES.
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT---INCREASED COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS TO HELP MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE. THE CHALLENGE OF INCREASED LOCAL ACTIVITY.
TURF---OUR INHERENT NEED TO WANT TO BE IN CHARGE---OFTEN INFLUENCED BY THE COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES AND RESPONSIBILITY.
POSSIBLE FUTURE DIRECTIONS—TRENDS:
RECOGNITION OF ALL BENEFICIAL PUBLIC VALUES IN DECISION-MAKING AT ALL LEVELS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR---- RETURN TO INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO LAND, GROWTH AND STEWARDSHIP ISSUES---DIRECTION OF THE FRIENDS AND THE POTOMAC AHR FEDERAL TEAM REFLECTS THIS APPROACH..
SUCH RECOGNITION IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO AVOID THE POTHOLES OF THE PAST AND GAIN THE POLITICAL SUPPORT TO CARRY OUT OUR PLANS AND ACTIONS.
NEW TYPES OF INDUSTRY---SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES---WORK AT UVA.
RENEWED APPRECIATION OF THE VALUE OF POTOMAC WATER---- ISSUES RELATED TO FLOWS AND QUALITY WILL FORCE US TO DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WATERSHED, HOW IT FUNCTIONS, AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF DIFFERENT ACTIONS ARE.---RECENT ISSUES RAISED BY THE AUDUBON NATURALISTS AND ICPRB REPORTS ARE EXAMPLES.
THE VALUE OF ALL BENEFICIAL PUBLIC USES PROVIDES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRUCTURE NEW PLANS WHICH ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE MULTIPLE VALUES WITHOUT COMPROMISING OR DIMINISHING THE ABILITY OF THE WATERSHED OR THE COMMUNITY TO SUSTAIN ITSELF OVERTIME.
GLOBAL EXPERIENCES WILL BE MORE RELEVANT--- AS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES INCREASE WE WILL DRAW FROM MORE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES-----DOUG PICKFORD’S WORK WITH GERMANY.
LOCAL CAPACITY TO INFLUENCE CHANGE POSITIVELY--- WHETHER AIMED AT PROTECTION OR PROSPERITY WE’LL SEE MORE AND MORE SELF-RELIANCE TO ACHIEVE A DESIRED FUTURE-----POTOMAC CONSERVANCY’S LAND TRUST ACTIVITIES.
SENSE OF PLACE---THE NEED FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE RIVER AND THE VALUES OF THE WATERSHED---OUR ABILITY TO RE-CONNECT WITH OUR PAST, NATURE AND OUR COMMUNITIES TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE AND WANT TO BE.
I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TO REMEMBER FREDERICK GUTHEIM. OVER THE YEARS, AS I’VE GROWN OLDER MYSELF, I’VE NOTICED A DISTURBING TREND IN THE US TO PUSH ASIDE SOME OF THE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SHAPED HOW WE LOOK AT RIVERS. I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK THAT HILLARY CLINTON HAS GOT IT RIGHT WHEN SHE SAYS “HONOR THE PAST, IMAGINE THE FUTURE” AS PART OF HER MILLENIUM PROGRAM.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE A PART OF YOUR DICUSSION AND TO JOIN YOUR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, RESTORE, REVITALIZE AND ENJOY THE POTOMAC RIVER WATERSHED. I WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS IN YOUR WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE DISCUSSIONS LIKE TODAYS.
GLENN EUGSTER
POTOMAC FUTURE
FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE POTOMAC—1979 AND THE NATIONWIDE RIVERS INVENTORY
--RESEARCHED RIVER AND THEN DOCUMENTED LAND USE CHANGE AND RESOURCE QUALITIES USING LOW ALTITUDE HELICOPTER FLIGHTS
LATER I WOULD WORK ON THE POTOMAC AS PART OF DOI’S AREAS OF NATIONAL CONCERN EFFORT, NPS RTCA PROGRAM ASSISTANCE, AND THEN AS A MEMBER OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM PARTICIPATING ON THE ICPRB-LED POTOMAC RIVER WATERSHED VISIONS PROJECT
MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE VALUES AND FUNCTIONS—AND HERITAGE OF THE POTOMAC WASN’T FREDERICK GUTHEIM BUT RATHER THROUGH THE WORDS AND WRITINGS OF IAN MCHARG, THEN CHAIR OF THE UNIV. OF PA. GRAD SCHOOL’S DEPT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & REGIONAL PLANNING. MR. MCHARG, AS YOU KNOW JOINED MR. GUTHEIM—AND OTHERS SUCH AS GRADY CLAY AND ED BACON, ON SEC. UDALL’S POTOMAC PLANNING TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE WAS DIRECTED BY PRESIDENT JOHNSON TO”CLEAN UP THE RIVER AND KEEP IT CLEAN…PROTECT IT’S NATURAL BEAUTIES …PROVIDE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND SO FORTH”.
PRESIDENT’S JOHNSON’S NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVE JOINED MR. MCHARG AND MR. GUTHEIM TO WORK “TO RESTORE AND PROTECT OUR HERITAGE OF NATIONAL RESOURCES AND TO INTRODUCE NEW TECHNIQUES THAT WILL ENHANCE MAN’S OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT”.
AS I SPOKE WITH KAREN ZACHARY AND OTHERS ABOUT FREDERICK GUTHEIM AND THE INFLUENCE HE HAS HAD ON YOUR CAREER’S I THOUGHT OF MR. MCHARG’S WORK ON THE POTOMAC, AND OTHER REGIONS, AND SAW MY CAREER INFLUENCED IN A SIMILAR WAY. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT WAS ASSEMBLED IN 1965 REFLECTS A FUNDAMENTAL RECOGNITION THAT THE POTOMAC’S FUTURE REQUIRES A BLEND OF PERSPECTIVES, EXPERTISE AND VALUES.
WHEN PHIL ASKED ME TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE POTOMAC I GLADLY ACCEPTED SINCE MY CURRENT DUTIES AS AHR NAVIGATOR , AND MY PAST INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CBP AND THE ICPRB’S “VISION” PROJECT, FOCUS ON IDEAS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR THE FUTURE. AS YOU KNOW THE POTOMAC AMERICAN HERITAGE RIVER INITIATIVE, LED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE POTOMAC, IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO RESTORE, REVITALIZE AND PROTECT THE WATERSHED. IT’S AIMED AT HELPING COMMUNITIES HELP THEMSELVES TO IMPLEMENT THEIR VISION OF THE FUTURE OF THE WATERSHED.
THE FUTURE, LIKE OUR PAST, IS SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE IN COMMON. AND LIKE OUR HERITAGE, WE ALL HAVE A FUTURE AND IT IS ONE OF THE SOCIETAL CONCEPTS THAT PERIODICALLY BRINGS US TOGETHER.
THE FUTURE OF THE POTOMAC DEPENDS ON A LOT OF THINGS. MOST OF ALL IT DEPENDS ON WHERE WE WANT TO BE AS A WATERSHED COMMUNITY AT A GIVEN POINT IN TIME? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT WE AS A COMMUNITY---HUMANS AND NATURE, THINK SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE DECIDE TO GET THERE.
UDALL’S PLAN OF 1967, VIEWED BY MANY AS UNSUCCESSFUL , SURELY TAUGHT US THAT THESE QUESTIONS AREN’T SIMPLE AND THEY INVOLVE THE OPINIONS AND RIGHTS OF EVERYONE.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE DOES REQUIRE THAT WE EXAMINE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A WATERSHED COMMUNITY. IT REQUIRES US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE WATERSHED AND THE RIVER FUNCTION ECOLOGICALLY AND HYDROLOGICALLY, BUT ALSO SOCIALLY/ CULTURALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. AND WE’VE LEARNED FROM EFFORTS LIKE THE 1967 POTOMAC PLANNING TASK FORCE THAT PEOPLE’S VALUES ARE AS IMPORTANT AS AN OTHER VALUES IN THE POTOMAC WATERSHED.
AS A WATERSHED RESIDENT AND CONSERVATION PRACTITIONER MY SENSE IS THAT THE FUTURE OF THE POTOMAC IS BEING SHAPED BY:
GROWTH---COMMUNITIES AND THE REGION ARE PROSPEROUS IN MANY AREAS AND SEEKING NEW ECONOMIES IN OTHER REGIONS.
WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY---GROWTH REQUIRES WATER AND THE POTOMAC HAS INHERENT CAPACITY.
HERITAGE---AS THINGS CHANGE PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO RETAIN ---. AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CULTURAL HERITAGE AND NATURAL HERITAGE—OR LIVING RESOURCES.
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT---INCREASED COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS TO HELP MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE. THE CHALLENGE OF INCREASED LOCAL ACTIVITY.
TURF---OUR INHERENT NEED TO WANT TO BE IN CHARGE---OFTEN INFLUENCED BY THE COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES AND RESPONSIBILITY.
POSSIBLE FUTURE DIRECTIONS—TRENDS:
RECOGNITION OF ALL BENEFICIAL PUBLIC VALUES IN DECISION-MAKING AT ALL LEVELS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR---- RETURN TO INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO LAND, GROWTH AND STEWARDSHIP ISSUES---DIRECTION OF THE FRIENDS AND THE POTOMAC AHR FEDERAL TEAM REFLECTS THIS APPROACH..
SUCH RECOGNITION IS ESSENTIAL IF WE ARE TO AVOID THE POTHOLES OF THE PAST AND GAIN THE POLITICAL SUPPORT TO CARRY OUT OUR PLANS AND ACTIONS.
NEW TYPES OF INDUSTRY---SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES---WORK AT UVA.
RENEWED APPRECIATION OF THE VALUE OF POTOMAC WATER---- ISSUES RELATED TO FLOWS AND QUALITY WILL FORCE US TO DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WATERSHED, HOW IT FUNCTIONS, AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF DIFFERENT ACTIONS ARE.---RECENT ISSUES RAISED BY THE AUDUBON NATURALISTS AND ICPRB REPORTS ARE EXAMPLES.
THE VALUE OF ALL BENEFICIAL PUBLIC USES PROVIDES US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRUCTURE NEW PLANS WHICH ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE MULTIPLE VALUES WITHOUT COMPROMISING OR DIMINISHING THE ABILITY OF THE WATERSHED OR THE COMMUNITY TO SUSTAIN ITSELF OVERTIME.
GLOBAL EXPERIENCES WILL BE MORE RELEVANT--- AS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES INCREASE WE WILL DRAW FROM MORE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES-----DOUG PICKFORD’S WORK WITH GERMANY.
LOCAL CAPACITY TO INFLUENCE CHANGE POSITIVELY--- WHETHER AIMED AT PROTECTION OR PROSPERITY WE’LL SEE MORE AND MORE SELF-RELIANCE TO ACHIEVE A DESIRED FUTURE-----POTOMAC CONSERVANCY’S LAND TRUST ACTIVITIES.
SENSE OF PLACE---THE NEED FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE RIVER AND THE VALUES OF THE WATERSHED---OUR ABILITY TO RE-CONNECT WITH OUR PAST, NATURE AND OUR COMMUNITIES TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE AND WANT TO BE.
I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TO REMEMBER FREDERICK GUTHEIM. OVER THE YEARS, AS I’VE GROWN OLDER MYSELF, I’VE NOTICED A DISTURBING TREND IN THE US TO PUSH ASIDE SOME OF THE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SHAPED HOW WE LOOK AT RIVERS. I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK THAT HILLARY CLINTON HAS GOT IT RIGHT WHEN SHE SAYS “HONOR THE PAST, IMAGINE THE FUTURE” AS PART OF HER MILLENIUM PROGRAM.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE A PART OF YOUR DICUSSION AND TO JOIN YOUR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, RESTORE, REVITALIZE AND ENJOY THE POTOMAC RIVER WATERSHED. I WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS IN YOUR WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE DISCUSSIONS LIKE TODAYS.
GLENN EUGSTER
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