Draft Interpretive Plan Join the adventure! - Captain John Smith ...

Decision-makers
To successfully promote, develop and manage the Trail, it is critical to secure the
involvement of community, business and agency leaders. Ongoing collaboration with
leaders and policy-makers will aid in forging important relationships and obtaining
resources necessary for long-term growth and management of the Trail.
Partners Identified in Trail Legislation
Two partnership entities are linked to the Trail by law. The enabling legislation for the
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail specifies that the Trail shall be
administered “in coordination with” the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails
Network and the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network (CBGN) – As mentioned
previously, CBGN provides a framework for development of the National Historic Trail
with its array of Bay watershed parks, wildlife refuges, historic sites, museums,
educational institutions, existing water trails and other assets. Trail-specific
Memorandums of Understanding are in process with nearly one hundred existing
Gateways. A preliminary list of Gateways associated with the Trail is in Appendix K.
Chesapeake Bay Program - The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership that
has coordinated and conducted the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983.
Partners include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, representing the federal
government; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the states of Delaware, Maryland, New
York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the District of Columbia; the
Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative body; and advisory groups of citizens,
scientists and local government officials. The National Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay
Office is part of the Chesapeake Bay Program, providing leadership in education and
interpretation to foster citizen stewardship of the Bay.
Federal Agencies
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – One of the original signers to the 1983
Chesapeake Bay Agreement, the EPA is the primary representative for the federal
government for the Chesapeake Bay Program. The EPA coordinates federal, state, and
local Bay restoration efforts and authorities throughout the watershed and provides
environmental planning and financial assistance, implements and coordinates science,
modeling, data collection, assessment, monitoring, and outreach, and develops and makes
available information pertaining to the environmental quality and living resources of the
Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The EPA and the NPS have a long-standing Memorandum
of Understanding that commits both agencies to collaborate on Chesapeake Bay
restoration and conservation efforts.
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