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Preserve America News |June 2010A Message from ACHP Chairman Wayne Donaldson 
I am honored President Obama chose me to be the next chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). Having served as the State Historic Preservation Officer in California for six years, I am very familiar with the important work of the ACHP. The Preserve America program has been the impetus for much revitalization in California, as it has been across the country, and has given us a means to embrace and celebrate our diverse cultural heritage in communities as varied as Fresno, Richmond, the Asian-Pacific Islander neighborhoods of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the Wiyot Tribe. I especially look forward to bringing an appreciation for history and culture along with the preservation message to young people and to constituencies that may be new to the ideas of historic preservation. I served on a panel during the 2006 Preserve America Summit that forged recommendations for the future of the national historic preservation program at the 40th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. I am delighted to lead this unique agency forward to continue its integral mission to promote historic preservation. As a part of that responsibility I look forward to working with all of you to support stronger and more vibrant communities through the benefits of heritage tourism and economic development which come hand in hand with preservation – and with Preserve America. Additionally, partnering with more than 20 Tribal Historic Preservation Officers in California for the past five years has led to three major summits with the 106 federally recognized tribes and more than 40 non-federally recognized tribes. These summits have led to a better understanding of common goals toward the preservation of our cultural heritage. I hope to continue this unique relationship nationwide. Read more. Wayne Donaldson (left) participates in the Preserve America Summit. Arden Kucate (right) is chairman of the ACHP's Native American Advisory Group. On April 16, President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar launched an initiative called America’s Great Outdoors with the signing of a Presidential Memorandum . The objective is to learn about the smart, creative ways communities and other partners are working to conserve outdoor spaces and treasured landscapes, and also how they and public agencies can help Americans reconnect with the nation’s land, water, wildlife, culture and history. Working with the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of the Interior is taking the lead and has begun collecting comments and ideas . Soon the agencies will host listening sessions around the country. The ACHP encourages active involvement in this effort from cultural heritage groups and communities across the country that are committed to preserving and sharing their cultural and natural heritage. Preserve America Communities, Preserve America Stewards and many public and private partners have some of the best and most innovative programs for accomplishing these goals, and we urge you to get involved and make your views known. Preserve America Stewards Recognized at BLM Event in Nevada 
At the April 10 grand opening of a visitor center at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey recognized Preserve America Stewards. Abbey acknowledged the cultural site stewardship program of the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership, which is managed by the Public Lands Institute of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This volunteer program helps monitor and protect cultural sites on lands in southern Nevada managed by BLM and other federal agencies. Abbey also recognized the volunteer archaeology program of the Kaibab Vermilion Cliffs Heritage Alliance. The Alliance helps BLM and other federal agencies preserve the cultural resources of the eastern Arizona Strip, an area of nearly 2 million acres. Apply for designation as a Preserve America Steward ; the next deadline for applications is September 1. From left, George Phillips, Public Lands Institute, UNLV; Kelly Turner, representing the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership; and Bob Abbey Join Preserve America in Austin 
The ACHP will host a forum at the National Trust for Historic Preservation annual conference Oct. 27-30 in Austin, Texas. The Preserve America Forum will provide for community networking, information exchange and sharing of best practices on protecting historic resources, promoting historic assets and building partnerships in tough economic times. The latest information about Preserve America for FY 2011 will be discussed. The ACHP would especially like to hear from communities in Texas and nearby states who could present at the forum about challenges they face in preserving and promoting their heritage, and how they are using preservation in positive ways to help stimulate their local economy. Please contact Judy Rodenstein by e-mail or phone (202) 606-8584 to attend and participate. Texas Capitol (photo courtesy State Preservation Board) Preserve America Grants Update 
The National Park Service (NPS) is currently selecting grantees for Preserve America Grants projects in Round II for 2010. Approximately $1.3 million was available for grant awards; 102 eligible applications were received from 37 states totaling nearly $8 million in requests. Awards will likely be announced later in June. Meanwhile, the 2010 Round I grants of about $2.9 million were also finalized for 31 projects that were announced in 2009 but for which no money was appropriated in the final FY 2009 budget. The award winners have been notified of their grants' approval. These two rounds will complete this year’s grant awards. Preserve America Grants are not included in the President’s budget request for FY 2011 and have been prominently mentioned in press releases and on the White House Web site along with the termination of Save America’s Treasures (SAT) funding and reductions in funding for National Heritage Areas. There has been widespread concern about the termination and reduction of these programs, and advocates have been urging Congress to fund SAT and Preserve America Grants at $30 million and $10 million, respectively, as well as increase heritage area support. The ACHP produced a report on the effectiveness of the Preserve America Grants which may be useful as the budget discussions continue. Visitors at Lewes, Delaware's Overfalls Maritime Museum. City of Lewes Off-Season Maritime Historic Tourism Plan received a $35,000 grant. Calling All Grantees: Your Opinion is Needed 
The ACHP would appreciate hearing from Preserve America grantees about the usefulness and effectiveness of their grants, particularly as they relate to local economic development and job creation. We would also like to hear of grant projects that are combining cultural and natural heritage with ways to reconnect people with the outdoors. Please e-mail us with success stories created by National Park Service-funded grant programs. Did you experience increased visitation, neighborhood revitalization, economic development or job creation because of the grant funding? Are natural resource groups cooperating with cultural heritage organizations to save a great cultural landscape or interpret the history of a special natural place? Send your stories to the NPS as well as to Ron Anzalone at the ACHP. Great examples might be featured on NPS’ Best Ideas page or on the Preserve America Web site. Please include photos. Santa Monica Pier “100 Years in the Past, 100 Years in the Future” $100,000 grant recipient 
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is compiling “Stories from the Home Front” to help travelers and residents understand the full impact of the Civil War on the region. Do you or someone from your organization or community have a story about a person or place in Appalachia affected or impacted by the Civil War? Check whether your community falls in the ARC region and if so, submit your story. The deadline is June 5, 2010. Selected stories will be featured in a regional guide for travelers and residents. 
Former First Lady and Honoray Chair of Preserve America Laura Bush spoke in Preserve America Community Blytheville, Ark., on May 15. She was promoting her new book and also shared experiences about being First Lady. City leaders felt she already left a mark on the town during her White House years since Blytheville received a Preserve America Grant of $55, 088 to rehabilitate its Art-Deco Greyhound station. The city and Main Street Blytheville are partnering to develop a visitor information center in the historic bus station. It will function as the first stop in Blytheville and the Arkansas Delta, will tell stories based on the “experience” of the bus station and will provide information about other cultural and historic sites in Blytheville and beyond. Blytheville Greyhound station NOAA Offers Grants to Preserve Heritage 
NOAA awarded more than $160,000 in internal grants for a variety of projects . This popular internal funding program, in its sixth year, is designed to stimulate efforts within NOAA to preserve, protect and promote the agency's heritage assets. Funded projects have varied in scope from interpreting historic and cultural resources in NOAA's care, to capturing oral histories of NOAA stakeholder groups, including fishermen and Native Americans. Funds are awarded only to NOAA offices. However, other federal, state, tribal, Native Hawaiian, academic and non-profit organizations may act as partners. All of the proposals submitted demonstrate how the concept of using heritage to communicate NOAA’s messages and programs has matured. NOAA Oral History Boot Camp Workshop is June 14-16 in Silver Spring, Md. This mini course is for NOAA Preserve America Internal Funding projects. Participants will learn how to develop constructive questions related to their projects and do hands on activities including the use of digital recorders, interviews with NOAA leadership and transcribing the interviews. Artist's rendering of Great Lakes Maritime Center, a grant recipient |
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