Heritage Area Interview
April 13, 2009
Core Mission and Goals
“Nationally important, distinctive assemblage of resources that is best managed for conservation, recreation, education, and continued [economic] use through partnerships among public and private entities at the local or regional level”.
* Helps people, and organizations, help themselves to protect, regenerate, and sustain ecologies and economies.
Top Accomplishments
Protection, restoration, conservation, interpretation, and appropriate use of resource ad public values.
Increased local, state and general public support for the protection, etc. of nationally important values.
Leveraging of federal, state, local and private dollars.
Integration of decision-making for natural, cultural, recreational, social, historic and economic objectives.
Federal consistency of actions with state, local and private sector goals, objectives, and needs.
Heritage areas give traditional federal, state, local, and private sector plans a “heart” that better reflects the character of the community/ place. These efforts are tailored to the past and present history of the area and the needs, interests and desires of the community.
Consensus-based approach to making decisions. Getting to Yes!
Uses the past and present to develop strategies for the future.
Issues Addressed
Visions and implementation for Restoration and regeneration
Economic alternatives--ways to regenerate economies consistent with the protection, etc. of the place.
Seek new sources of funding
Identify ways to work across state, local and regional boundaries to address certain issues or actions.
Weaknesses
6 year goal has been abandoned---now these are back door, long-term designations.
# of designations exceeds capacity of agencies to manage effectively.
Viewed by many as a federal grant program rather than an integrated partnership.
Integrated approach which is now being stove-piped.
Most Important Values
Understanding and communication of past, present and future natural, physical, social, and economic values and functions of a place and the best integrated way to protect and sustain them.
Relies on Ecology--human and the other kind!
Relies on community-based partnerships.
All of these values are mutually dependent.
Can the heritage areas program survive?
History would indicate no--look at experiences in MA and NY.
If there is no PA heritage Areas Program it means:
No PA money, which means no leveraging of other funds.
No PA money means no equity in decision making with outside parties.
No PA money means that these places won’t be a priority,
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