|
| |||
|
|
||||
|
Regional Map Join Us Contact Us Recent News Newsletter Annual Report Board Members Publications Project Partners Staff |
Northern Forest Canoe Trail Funds ANCA Project The Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a 740-mile paddling trail stretching from Old Forge, New York to Fort Kent, Maine, is pleased to announce the third year of stewardship awards to eight projects along the Trail. Communities along the length of the four-state Trail will benefit from funding projects that further the goals of the trail and enhance local communities’ connections with their rivers. The 2004 awards ranged from $3000 to $5000, and primarily focused on design and production of sectional route maps, development of trailhead kiosks, and inventorying sections of the route for sacred Native American sites. Following historic Native American routes, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) links waterways through the Adirondacks, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire, and Maine. The trail is the first recreational multi-watershed project of its kind and the longest inland water trail in the Northeastern United States. “We are immensely grateful to the Northern New England congressional delegation and the key leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for securing the funding that makes these stewardship awards possible,” says Kate Williams, NFCT executive director. “These awards play a large role in furthering our objective of creating a long-distance water trail developed and maintained by local communities, and of telling the rich historical and cultural stories of the Northern Forest region, where rivers were once the highways and routes of communication.” This is the third year of the competitive awards program to benefit the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Through the efforts of Senators Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Congress appropriated funds to initiate the NFCT Stewardship Awards Program in spring 2002. The 2004 awards were made possible through the National Park Service’s Challenge Cost Share Program. In the Adirondacks, one project was funded: The design of the third of three NFCT maps in New York, this one covering the Saranac River, from Saranac Lake to Plattsburgh. The Adirondack North Country Association, an NFCT host organization in the Adirondacks, will coordinate the efforts of local volunteers to create the map, which will be released in Fall 2005. NFCT currently has four maps complete and available for sale – the first two Adirondack Maps, from Old Forge to Saranac Lake, and two in northern Maine. “We are delighted to continue this important partnership with the Canoe Trail and believe these improvements and marketing of our tourism and recreational infrastructure will have a significant impact on the economy,” Terry Martino, Executive Director of ANCA stated. All NFCT maps are printed on waterproof paper, feature a detailed route description and topographic map on one side and the natural, historical and cultural features of the area on the other side. A key strength of the NFCT stewardship program is its partnership with existing organizations to strengthen communities, attain healthier rivers, create recreation opportunities, and enhance the potential for economic growth. Among the groups the Northern Forest Canoe Trail has funded through this program are the Adirondack North Country Association in Saranac Lake, NY; The NorthWoods Stewardship Center in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom; Tri-County CAP in Berlin, New Hampshire; the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust based in Oquossoc, Maine; the Natural Resource Education Center at Moosehead, based in Greeneville, Maine; and the Winter Center for Indigenous Traditions out of Hanover, New Hampshire. In communities along the NFCT, local groups and individuals have organized to manage sections of the trail—working with landowners, planning routes and upgrades, installing and maintaining signs, developing portages, access points, campsites and privies. Currently four maps of 13 are complete – these stewardship awards will put us well over the halfway mark in terms of completing the physical Trail. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a nonprofit organization devoted to creating a 740-mile paddling trail along a historic waterway through the Northern Forest.. Our mission is to celebrate the rich human heritage and diverse natural environment of the Northern Forest by establishing and stewarding a water trail tracing historic Native American travel routes across New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire and Maine. To learn more about the Trail, become a member, or purchase maps, visit the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. |
||
|
Copyright© 2008 Adirondack North County Association/ANCA. All rights reserved. Report a problem with this page. |
|