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Eastern North CarolinaNational Heritage Area

2nd Round of Public Meetings

September 27 & 28, 2011

Eastern North Carolina National Heritage Area Feasibility Study

Project Support

Today’s Agenda

1. Meeting Purpose2. Overview & Update of Planning Project3. Feasibility Study Criteria and Process4. Proposed Themes and Boundary Alternatives5. Next Steps6. Questions


Feasibility Study Schedule & Process

Meetings with Commissions and stakeholders (On-going) Site visits - over 80 sites in 40 counties (Oct. 2010 to Mar. 2011) First round of Public Meetings (Mar. 29, 30 & 31, 2011)• Develop Resource Assessment (Ongoing)• Develop Potential Boundaries and Themes (Ongoing)• Second round of Public Meetings – 2 meetings (Today)

Discussion of Themes and Boundary Alternatives• Final Public Meeting – Agreement on Alternative (Late Fall 2011)• Write Draft Report (Late Fall 2011)• Publicize Draft Report and solicit comment (Dec. 2011& Jan. 2012)• Collect letters of support (Dec. 2011 & Jan. 2012)• Finalize Feasibility Study report and submit to

National Park Service and Congress (Late Jan. 2012)


What is a National Heritage Area?

A National Heritage Area is a place designated by the United States Congress where natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally significant landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography.


What does a National Heritage Area do?

A National Heritage Area uses shared history as a platform for action to collaborate on preservation, promotion and sustainable development based on heritage assets in the region.


What National Heritage Areas are NOT…

“National heritage areas do not appear to have directly affected the rights of property owners. To address property concerns, the designatinglegislation of 13 of the 24 heritage areas and management plans of at least6 provide explicit assurances that the areas will not affect property owners’ rights.”

GAO Report, March 30, 2004


Designation Requirements

Only Congress can designate a National Heritage Area

1. Completion of a Feasibility Study and submittal to U.S. Secretary of the Interior

2. Public involvement in the Feasibility Study3. Widespread public support for designation among residents4. Partnership commitments


Purpose of a Feasibility Study

Before Congress considers designation of a National Heritage Area, it needs information about the quality of the resources and whether the resources and the region meet the established criteria for an NHA.


A Feasibility Study Includes…

• Definition of the study area

• Public information strategy• Contribution to National Heritage, development of potential themes • Resource inventories, integrity determinations, affected environment data• Boundary delineation• Management alternatives and preliminary impact assessment

• Heritage area administration and financial feasibility• Evaluation of public support and commitments


Themes and Boundaries


Criteria: A National Heritage Area…

Has the resources and traditional uses that are important to the identified stories and themes of the region, and retains a degree of integrity capable of interpretation

Represents distinctive landscapes and aspects of our American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation and continuing use

Reflects traditions, customs, beliefs and folk life that are a valuable part of the national story


Criteria: A National Heritage Area…

Provides outstanding recreational and educational opportunities

Has an assemblage of natural, historic and cultural resources that together tell a nationally significant story and are important to the heritage of the United States

Includes residents, private property owners, business interests, organizations, local government and others in planning

Is best managed through partnerships among private and public entities at the local and regional levels


Boundary Alternatives


Defining a Boundary

A National Heritage Area has an assemblage of natural, historic, or cultural resources that together represent distinctive aspects of American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and continuing use.

HistoryGeophysical and topographical

featuresCulturePolitical jurisdictionsPractical intersection of all of the

above


Eastern North Carolina – Study Area


Settling a New World


Living with the Land and Water


Defense of a Nation


A National Heritage Area is an assemblage of

natural, historic, and cultural resources

that together represent distinctive aspects of

American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation,

interpretation, and continuing use.


Significance of Eastern North Carolina

• The estuarine ecosystem is second in size on the United States and its protected waters are among the richest and most diverse in the world.

• The natural history of the environments of the region have played a major role in the development of North Carolina and the United States.

• A unique pattern of human interaction with the land and its most dominant feature, water, has shaped the rich heritage and culture of the region.



Rivers to Sounds to Sea

The confluence of human activity and the interconnected waterways of eastern North Carolina have shaped the region’s past, defined its unique present character and charted a course for the future.

Overarching Theme: Rivers to Sounds to Sea


• Development of management alternatives and conceptual financial plan

• Final Public Meeting – Late Fall 2011 Agreement on Preferred Alternative

Next Steps…


• Write Draft Report – Late Fall 2011

• Publicize Draft Report and solicit comment – Dec. 2011 & Jan. 2012

• Collect letters of support – Dec. 2011 & Jan. 2012

• Finalize plan, submit to NPS and Congress – Late Jan. 2012

Next Steps…


We need you to…

• Remain involved throughout the planning process• Participate in each round of the Public Meetings• Respond to surveys, emails and questionnaires• Review the Draft Report and comments and write letters of support• Be an Ambassador and help spread the word



AUGUST R. CARLINO

www.hanburypreservation.com/active_projects/encnha

Consulting Team

Project Sponsors

Project Website:

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Travel

study area

heritage area administration

heritage assets

feasibility study report

notnational heritage

financial feasibility

national park service

public entities