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Scanning the States
Texas
El Paso Seeks Heritage Tourism Planner
The City of El Paso, a Preserve America Community, has been awarded a grant to create a Heritage Tourism Plan for the portion of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail (NHT) located in El Paso. The city is seeking a Heritage Tourism Planner to develop and coordinate the planning process, perform heritage/cultural tourism research including GIS mapping, data collection and analysis. The planner will work with the public, city departments, historical preservation community and heritage and cultural site managers to create a plan that best represents the culture and heritage assets of El Paso, and provide recommendations for infrastructure, program and promotional development. The position is a temporary, contract position anticipated to last for 100 working days.
To submit a resume or to request a full description of the position, contact Lydia Gilyard at the City of El Paso Human Resource Department.
Arizona
Santa Cruz Heritage Alliance
Creates Map and Brochure
The Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance has created a Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Experiences map and brochure, which identifies heritage destinations throughout Santa Cruz Valley of southern Arizona. The Heritage Map is the first of its kind, highlighting various heritage destinations that tie into the ten distinctive themes of the proposed Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area.
The map will assist visitors to experience sky islands and desert seas, streams in the desert, bird habitats and migration routes, Native American lifeways, desert farming, ranching traditions, the Spanish and Mexican frontier, remnants of mining booms, U.S. military posts on the Mexico border, and the U.S.-Mexico border culture.
The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area legislation was introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives on April 17, 2007 by Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (H.R. 1885). The legislation identifies the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance as the management entity for the proposed National Heritage Area.
For more information, contact Vanessa Bechtol, Programs Manager, Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, (520) 429-1394.
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Arizona-Sonora Geotourism MapGuide
Available On-line
By Cheryl Hargrove
Associate Director, Center for Sustainable Destinations
National Geographic Society
The Arizona-Sonora MapGuide – National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations' first bi-national product – is now available. The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) and the Sonora, Mexico Office of Tourism co-sponsored creation, printing and distribution of the MapGuide with additional support from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, in cooperation with the Arizona-Mexico Commission.
The MapGuide was prepared by National Geographic Maps and the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations in collaboration with the Sonoran Institute and the Geotourism Councils of Arizona and Sonora.
The two states also signed the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations Geotourism Charter to demonstrate their support and commitment to the geotourism principles. AOT also launched "Arizona Origins" earlier this year as a special outreach program to further educate communities about geotourism and to help develop and celebrate the distinctive cultural heritage and natural assets of the state. To further recognize the geotourism assets in the region, the Arizona Office of Tourism presented certificates to all the Arizona sites listed on the MapGuide.
Click here for more information.
Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois
Make Plans for Lincoln Bicentennial
The three states that Abraham Lincoln called home are making plans for the 200th birthday celebration of the 16th president beginning in 2008 and continuing through February 2010. Each state has established a commission to encourage communities to participate, to provide grants for bicentennial projects and activities and to publicize the celebration. Accomplishments of each commission include:
Kentucky
The Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission has awarded $1 million in grant funds for Lincoln-related projects. Planned initiatives include educational programs, museum exhibits, public art, community celebrations, speakers, classroom tools, preservation initiatives, and more. Additionally, the commission funded grant programs through the Kentucky Historical Society, the Kentucky Humanities Council, the Kentucky Arts Council, and the Kentucky Heritage Council. The Commission has also completed a survey of Lincoln sites throughout the commonwealth, helped to secure “Birthplace of Lincoln” signs at major Kentucky entryways and created commission website to inform the public about Kentucky’s Lincoln story and how to participate in the bicentennial. Click here for more information.
Indiana
The Indiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission will host one of five national events on Mother’s Day Weekend in 2008. (Lincoln’s mother is buried near his boyhood home.) The Commission is also involved in plans for a signature state event in Indianapolis in 2009 and one relating to the Lincoln Highway in northern Indiana in 2010. Signs were recently unveiled attached to state welcome signs which read “Lincoln’s Boyhood Home.” Several educational projects are underway including compiling reading lists and creating lesson plans. Additionally, the Commission will work with the Department of Natural Resources to offer Abraham Lincoln lilacs to every elementary school in Indiana. Events are also being planned in Spencer County, site of Lincoln’s boyhood home. Click here for more information.
Illinois
The Illinois Lincoln Bicentennial Commission will hold a Community Planning Conference on August 2 in Springfield. Representatives from communities across the state have been invited to attend the conference which will include technical assistance in planning. The conference will include a panel discussion with representatives from Illinois communities who will discuss their bicentennial plans. Attendees will also have the opportunity to brainstorm on ideas for bicentennial activities. The Commission has awarded more than $440,000 in grants to 14 Illinois projects. Plans are under way at more than a dozen Lincoln historic sites including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which has drawn more than 500,000 visitors since it opened last year. Click here for more information.
Click here for information on Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration plans across the country.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Signs National Geographic Geotourism Charter
National Geographic Program
Promotes Destination Stewardship
By Cheryl Hargrove
Associate Director, Center for Sustainable Destinations
National Geographic Society
At the 22nd annual Tourism Unity luncheon on May 16, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri signed a Geotourism Charter for Rhode Island, demonstrating the state’s continued commitment to preservation, conservation and destination stewardship. Geotourism Charters are a key program element of the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD), which aims to increase the practice of sustainable tourism around the globe. Rhode Island is the sixth destination, and second U.S. state, to sign the charter, joining Honduras, Norway, Romania, Arizona and Guatemala.
“Rhode Island’s rich history and natural beauty have made our state a draw for visitors from around the world. With careful stewardship of these resources, we continue to grow our tourism industry throughout our state — from the Blackstone Valley to South County and from Aquidneck Island to downtown Providence. By adopting the National Geographic Geotourism Charter, we will build on our accomplishments to promote Rhode Island’s charms,” Carcieri said. “Signing this charter today is an important catalyst that will create a new level of collaboration among the organizations that contribute to and impact geotourism in Rhode Island.”
Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.
“In signing this Geotourism Charter, Rhode Island demonstrates how principle-based collaborations can foster good destination stewardship,” said Jonathan Tourtellot, CSD director. “That means more appealing experiences for desirable tourists, more support for Rhode Island’s great heritage sites, more benefit for nature conservation, and a positive economic and social impact for local residents and communities throughout the state.”
The signing ceremony commenced the formation of an 18-member Rhode Island Geotourism Collaborative — a public-private partnership representing agencies and organizations engaged in historic preservation, conservation, tourism, planning and transportation — to oversee creation and implementation of the state’s geotourism programs. In September the Geotourism Collaborative will brainstorm to identify geotourism initiatives that can be applied statewide, regionally and locally. The Geotourism Collaborative also will present annual geotourism awards and create a dedicated geotourism Web site.
Jonathan Stevens, Executive Director of Preserve Rhode Island, represented the Geotourism Collaborative at the signing ceremony. “Preserve Rhode Island appreciates the opportunity to work with National Geographic and our colleagues around the state to help plan for the future of Rhode Island with a focus on integrating the interests of historic preservation, environmental conservation, protection of open space, making the state more visually appealing, and affecting sustainable tourism — to enhance our quality of place.”
David C. DePetrillo, Director of Tourism for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, said, “It’s a huge win for us to have the highly respected Preserve Rhode Island step forward to help organize the Rhode Island Geotourism Collaborative. The input we get from this group will be invaluable to us in ensuring a sustainable future for Rhode Island’s tourism industry. Having the National Geographic Geotourism Charter principles as a guiding light give us a great head start.”
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. For more information, visit the National Geographic Society or the Center for Sustainable Destinations
web pages.
Rhode Island Geotourism Collaborative Members:
- Preserve Rhode Island: Jonathan Stevens, executive director (lead agency for collaborative)
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management: Michael Sullivan, director
- Rhode Island Department of Transportation: Jerome Williams, director
- Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission: Ted Sanderson, executive director
- Rhode Island Historical Society: Barbara Barnes, director, tour services
- Rhode Island Tourism Division: David C. DePetrillo, director
- The Governor’s Office of Community Affairs: Susan Stenhouse, director
- GrowSmart Rhode Island: Scott Wolf, executive director
- Heritage Harbor Museum: Margaret Dooley, executive director
- Johnson & Wales University: Karen Silva, department chair, J&W Center for Sports, Entertainment and Event Management
- National Trust for Historic Preservation: Karen Jessup, advisor for the State of Rhode Island
- The Nature Conservancy: Janet Coit, director, Rhode Island chapter
- Rhode Island Hospitality Association: Dale Venturini, president/CEO
- Save the Bay: Curt Spaulding, executive director
- URI Coastal Institute: Peter August, director
- Cultural and ethnic heritage representative: Keith Stokes, executive director, Newport County Chamber of Commerce
- Travel trade representative: Cyndi Zesk, vice president of marketing, Collette Tours
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