Remarks for Heritage Conservancy Heritage Partnership Awards

Remarks for Heritage Conservancy Heritage Partnership Awards

June 5, 2008 by J. Glenn Eugster

Innovative creation of partnership and advocacy for protecting waters resources through a comprehensive watershed approach.

It’s an honor to receive this award from Heritage Conservancy.  Although I’ve worked on many of the great rivers of America my education, love affair and work with rivers and watersheds began here in the Delaware River basin.

I began work in the Delaware River watershed in 1974 while doing graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania studying under Professor Ian McHarg. My summer and part time jobs during grad school gave me a chance to work with Bucks County, the US Forest Service, NJ’s Coastal Zone Management Office, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission on a variety of land and water resources.  My studies and these jobs introduced me to the watershed.  More importantly I was introduced to the communities, group leaders, and public advocates who have committed themselves to encouraging watershed protection and prosperity. 

From the Delaware’s headwaters to its mouth at Delaware Bay I found this watershed to be an amazing place.  It was here that I learned about rivers, their watersheds, people, partnerships and the importance of public and private advocacy.

My experiences were enhanced by a great number of talented people committed to this idea of watershed protection including, Toby Tourbier, Dave Froelich, Patrick Redden, Joe DiBello, Peter Kostmayer, John Seager and David Weiss, Victor Yarnell and Ferdinand Thun, Roger Fickes, Charlie Morrison, Donald Fauerbach, Allen Sachse, Brenda Barrett and Larry Williamson, Marge Hillregal and the Upper Delaware River Council, Alan Comp, Bill Sellers, Tom McFalls, Cliff David and the staff and board of the Heritage Conservancy.  These and other Delaware River watershed advocates helped me understand what it takes to help people and communities protect the water resources that they rely on them, and take action to sustain these values.

The uniqueness of this watershed, in terms of values and functions and the people that take action to care about them, makes this area an incubator of innovative watershed protection ideas and actions. Ideas that have been applied here have been used to shape watershed protection efforts across the U.S. and in other countries. 

I’m honored to receive this award this evening and appreciate the commitment and support of Heritage Conservancy and proud to have had the chance to work with so many of you to steps to protect them.  Thank you and continued success!