NPS Mission - National Park Service

National Park Service FY 2013 Budget Justifications
• Develop the first phase of an interpretive plan for the heritage area.
• Coordinate the activities of the gateways to elevate the visitor experience.
• Work with the city of Lithonia and the Stonecrest Business Alliance to encourage economic
development and tourism in the area.
Atchafalaya National Heritage Area (2006) is a national treasury of nature, culture, and history in southcentral
Louisiana, encompassing the largest river swamp in the country. Characterized by a maze of
streams and bayous, the area is rich in wildlife and is an important migratory bird flyway. While the 14
parishes that comprise the heritage area are best-known for the Cajun descendants of French-speaking
Acadians, the area’s complex racial and ethnic mix is reflected in its distinctive architecture, music,
language, food, and festivals. Projects that will utilize NPS Heritage Partnerships Funding in 2012
include:
• Work with two partners to develop French immersion projects.
• Continue regional interpretation projects.
• Expand Experience Atchafalaya Days.
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area (1996) was created to establish and implement an overall plan
for the preservation, development, and management of the Augusta Canal as a public resource. Built in
1845 to harness the water and power of the Savannah River, the Augusta Canal offers history, recreation,
and unique experiences along miles of towpath, trail, and waterway. It is still being used for three of the
original purposes for which it was built: water power, transportation, and water supply. It transformed
Augusta from agrarian to an industrial area on the eve of the Civil War, and was instrumental in the post-
Civil War relocation of much of the nation’s textile industry to the South. The nine-mile corridor follows the
full length of the best-preserved industrial canal of its kind remaining in the South. Projects that will utilize
NPS Heritage Partnerships Funding in 2012 include:
• Construct gateway improvements to the heritage area in St. Sebastian/Greene Street area.
• Construct composting bathrooms in natural areas of the heritage area.
• Design and implement trail system signage program.
• Pave various sections of trail system.
• Provide for administrative and operations support.
Baltimore National Heritage Area (2009) includes Baltimore’s oldest neighborhoods, downtown, and
waterfront; including innumerable heritage, cultural, and natural resources. The area features museums,
expansive parks, and vibrant neighborhoods shaped by patterns of immigration and architecture. At its
center is the Inner Harbor, one of the Nation’s oldest seaports and today a vibrant destination for tourists
and residents. Baltimore's dramatic role in the War of 1812 is demonstrated at historic sites, including
Fort McHenry, where the Nation defended independence. From its founding in 1729, Baltimore has stood
as a center of commerce and culture for the Chesapeake Bay region and has seen the transformation of
America, shaped by war, prosperity, and struggles for freedom and civil rights.
Projects that will utilize NPS Heritage Partnerships Funding in 2012 include:
• Complete comprehensive management plan.
• Implement tour guide certification program (pilot program funded with a $10,000 grant from the
National Park Foundation).
• Revitalize and preserve Thurgood Marshall’s Elementary School (PS103) at 1315 Division Street.
• NominatePS103 as a National Historic Landmark.
• Develop the Westside Heritage Trail.
• Re-launch of Authentic Baltimore program (www.authenticbaltimore.org).
• Implement War of 1812-related projects for the bicentennial.
NR&P-61