John Smith Trail Management Plan
In October, we asked you to review and support the National Park Service draft Management Plan for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Our goal was to generate 100 letters in support of this innovative vision and long-term strategy.
Thanks to your enthusiasm and excitement, the National Park Service received almost double this amount - nearly 200 letters. Many of these letters endorsed the preferred implementation strategy for the Trail and stressed the need for the federal government to commit the necessary financial resources to ensure that the vision of the trail is realized.
Letters of support came from state governors, mayors, nonprofits, business representatives and individual citizens, all with the desire to see successful implementation of the John Smith Chesapeake Trail, the nation's first national historic water trail.
In 2011, the Chesapeake Conservancy will work closely with the National Park Service as the Trail's principal nonprofit partner. The Conservancy will help put the Park Service's plan into action by developing partnerships, raising funds and advancing policies in support of the Trail's key priorities, including land conservation, recreation and sustainable tourism. Working with the Park Service, we will develop new public access points, enhance educational opportunities and participate in planning efforts along key river segments of the Trail.
We are strongly supportive of the following key components of the CMP:
Prioritizing Great Rivers for Trail Implementation: Prioritizing the implementation of the 3,000 mile trail along great river segments, one river at a time, is a pragmatic and sustainable strategy. It will ensure that local communities are engaged and that trail infrastructure is in place to give visitors an authentic Chesapeake experience.
Protecting Treasured Landscapes: Identifying and conserving viewsheds along the Trail that are evocative of the 17th Century using public-private conservation partnerships is vitally important to Trail implementation.
Establishing Connecting Trails: We urge Secretary Salazar to immediately adopt the connecting Trails for which research has already been completed. In so doing, the benefits of the Capt. John Smith Trail can be provided to other great rivers of the Chesapeake.
Developing Partnerships: The Trail will require partnerships with Federal, State and local governments as well as businesses and nonprofits to succeed. We support the recommendation that the Chesapeake Conservancy be the principal non-profit NPS partner in collaboration with others.
Providing Tools and Funding: In order for the promise of the John Smith Trail to be realized, we strongly urge the National Park Service to provide the same tools and financial resources that make successful other great national historic parks and trails, like the Appalachian Trail.
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