DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED CONFERENCE: REMARKS BY J. GLENN EUGSTER

DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED CONFERENCE

REMARKS BY J. GLENN EUGSTER, RIVER NAVIGATOR, POTOMAC AHR

“I COUNT IT ONE OF THE LUCKIEST THINGS IN LIFE TO HAVE BEEN BORN WITHIN REACH OF A RIVER VALLEY; NOT IN IT, NOR ABOVE IT, BUT JUST SO FAR REMOVED FROM IT THAT IT NEVER BECAME TOO FAMILIAR A SIGHT AND NEVER QUITE CEASED TO BE A WONDER”.

“DOWN BY THE RIVER” BY H.E. BATES

FROM MY FIRST VISIT TO THE DELAWARE WATERSHED I WAS STURCK BY THE MARVELOUS DIVISERITY OF THIS PLACE.  FROM THE URBAN WATERFRONTS OF WILMINGTON, PHILADELPHIA, CAMDEN AND TRENTON TO THE WILDLANDS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY AND SOUTHERN NJ. IS A CONTINUUM OF VALUES AND LAND USES---WATERSHED PLACES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK AND RECREATE. 

FROM MY WORK IN THE WATERSHED I HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE  DELAWARE RIVERWORK WHICH HAS BEEN DONE HERE.  THE DELAWARE IS TRULY A VALLEY OF INNOVATION IN WATERSHED PROTECTION, RESTORATION, REVITALIZATION AND RECREATION.

REFLECTIONS ON INNOVATIONS 

--CAME TO THE Delaware River WATERSHED/ PHILADELPHIA IN 1975 AND WAS INTRODUCED TO RIVER’S VALUES AND THIS INNOVATIVE WORK THROUGH:

--IAN MCHARG’S WORK IN THE BASIN AND HIS ECOLOGICAL PLANNING METHOD

--A FOREST SERVICE STUDY OF POSTING AND THE PUBLIC USE OF PRIVATE LANDS IN THE WATER GAP AREA

--THE WORK OF ALSTON JENKINS & ANDY JOHNSON AND THE NATURAL LANDS TRUST IN TINIMCUM MARSH AND FORTESCUE GLADES

--LEARNED OF THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WATER POLLUTION WORK OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE; NEW YORK’S WORK WITH THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION ON WATER SUPPLY AND THE PROTECTION OF MINIMUM FLOWS FOR LIVING RESOURCES AND; NEW JERSEY’S EFFORTS AT COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT AND GROUNDWATER PROTECTION

FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS THE DELAWARE WATERSHED REVEALED DIVERSE TRADITIONS OF INNOVATIVE THOUGHT AND DEEDS.  FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH A HISTORY HERE THIS ISN’T SURPRISING. THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERESHED’S:  

--FORESTS HELPED TO SHAPE WILLIAM PENN’S VISION FOR PENNSYLVANIA. 

--IT’S NATURAL AREAS MADE PHILADELPHIA A GATEWAY FOR MANY OF THE MOST FAMOUS NATURE WRITERS & WOMEN IN THE FIELD, SUCH AS WILLIAM BARTRAM, JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, WALT WHITMAN, GRACEANNA LEWIS AND MARY TREAT.

--IT’S PORT ACTIVITY DREW FAVORABLE COMPARISONS TO THE CLYDE RIVER IN SCOTLAND.

--THE VALLEY’S URBAN AREAS, OR “GRITTY CITIES”, REFLECT A RICH INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE WHICH WAS IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION.

--THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE DELAWARE, SUCH AS THE BRNADYWINE, FRENCH AND PICKERING CREEK REGION AND VALLEY FORGE REFLECT TRADITIONS OF LAND STEWARDSHIP WHICH ARE REKNOWN NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

--IT’S WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY HAS BEEN COVETED BY ALL THE BASIN STATES AND WAS THE BASIS FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES 1931 STATEMENT—“A RIVER IS MORE THAN AN AMENTIY; IT IS A TREASURE”. 

--HUNTING, FISHING AND OUTDOOR RECREATION (INSERT)

MY EARLY EXPOSURE WAS SHAPED AS WE DEVELOPED THE NPS’S RIVERS, TRAILS & CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH WE USED TO SHAPE FEDERAL RIVER CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO BE MORE SUPPORTIVE AND SENSITIVE TO HOME RULE, PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS, STATE AND COMMONWEALTH LEADERSHIP.  IT WAS HERE IN THE VALLEY, WORKING ON BRISTOL, THE MAURICE RIVER, THE DELAWARE, THE SCHUYLKILL AND WHITE CLAY CREEK THAT WE LEARNED THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS AIMED AT MEETING ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES SIMULATANESOUSLY.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WERE ABLE TO OBSERVE, AND OFTEN PARTICIPATE IN, AN ARRAY OF STATE, LOCAL AND PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES WHICH FORMER EPA ADMINISTRATOR AND CEO OF THE WWF BILL REILLY DESCRIBED AS “THE NEXT GENERATION OF LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION APPROACHES”.  INITIATIVES SUCH AS:

--THE DELAWARE AND LEHIGH NATL. HERITAGE CORRIDOR

--WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION AND URBAN RIVERS, SUCH AS THE COOPER RIVER IN NJ; SCHUYLKILL RIVER IN PA; AND THE BRANDYWINE & CHRISTIANA RIVERS IN DE.

--LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR APPROACHES TO SCENIC RIVERS

--RIVER RESTORATION EFFORTS SUCH AS THE SCHUYLKILL

--PRIVATE SECTOR LAND CONSERVARTION EFFORTS SUCH AS THE DUPONT CORPORATION DONATION FOR THE WHITE CLAY CREEK PRESERVE

--AND, MANY, MANY MORE...

LOCAL INITIATIVE HAS BEEN INTERESTING TO WATCH IN THE WATERSHED.

--THE TRADITION OF CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND REVITALIZATION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

--AS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE GROUPS HAVE BEEN WORKING INDEPENDENTLY WE HAVE 1) LEARNED MORE ABOUT HOW WATERSHEDS AND LANDSCAPES FUNCTIONS ENVIRONMENTALLY, CULTURALLY AND ECONOMICALLY; AND 2) WE HAVE LEARNED THAT PARTNERSHIPS ARE AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF GETTING THINGS DONE.

3) ALSO LEARNED THAT GOOD INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS OFTEN AREN’T ENOUGH—TYRANNY OF SMALL SOLUTIONS.

--THESE LESSONS HAVE ENCOURAGED US TO LINK TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND SIEZE OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS TREND IN WORKING TOGETHER IN A COALITION OR COLLABORATION IS MORE AND MORE COMMON AND IS A TRADEMARK IN SOME OF THE MORE SUCCESSFUL WATERSHED-WIDE EFFORTS AROUND THE US AND THE WORLD

--CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM FOCUSES ON A WATERSHED APPROACH TO PROTECTION AND RESTORING WATER QUALITY AND LIVING RESOURCES.  THE EFFORT INCLUDES COOPERATION BETWEEN THE FEDS AND THE STATES BUT ALSO A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE; CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ADVIOSRY COMMITTEE.  IT HAS BEEN USED TO CREATE AN EXTENSIVE DATA BASE FOR DECISION-MAKING; A SMALL WATERSHED GRANTS PROGRAM; A LAND, GROWTH AND STEWARDSHIP EFFORT; AND A GATEWAYS AND WATERTRAILS FUNDING PROGRAM.

--THE POTOMAC AMERICAN HERITAGE RIVER ALSO USES A WATERSHED-WIDE APPROACH TO ADD-VALUE TO LOCAL INITIATIVES.  FOR EXAMPLE THE POTOMAC IS USING A COALITION TO ADVANCE THE WORK OF LAND TRUSTS; CREATE A “CONGRESS FOR THE POTOMAC”; ORGANIZE A POTOMAC CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS; AND ESTABLISH A CIVIC AND WATERSHED TRAINING PROGRAM CALLED “LEADERSHIP POTOMAC”.

MAYBE A QUOTE FROM MCHARG—INSERT

BUT OUTSIDE EXAMPLES ARE JUST THAT, RIGHT? 

GEORGE BORDASH OF THE WILDCAT BROOK NATIONAL, SCENIC RIVER LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS KNOWN TO SAY, “YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT.  BUT IF YOU TRY SOME TIME, YOU JUST MIGHT FIND, YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED”.   GEORGE FIGURED OUT THAT WHAT WE WANT IS OFTEN DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE NEED.  THIS AFTERNOON YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO ADVANCE YOUR EFFORTS.  I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO OUTLINE SOME OF THE WAYS OTHER GREAT WATERSHEDS HAVE APPROACHED THEIR EFFORT.

1. IT’S OFTEN HELPFUL TO KNOW WHERE YOUR WATERSHED EFFORTS ARE INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY?  WHO IS WORKING ON WHICH SUB-WATERSHEDSD WITHIN THE BASIN; WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO DO AND WHERE ARE THEY WITH THEIR EFFORTS?

1. MANY GROUPS TAKE TIME TO DESCRIBE WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE?  FAST FORWARD TO A YEAR FROM NOW AND ASK YOURSELF WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE—INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY?

1. THE NATURE OF THIS WORK HAS CHANGED FOREVER IT SEEMS THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THERE TO BE A LOCALLY-CREATED VISION, WHICH INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF NEEDS, ISSUES TO TACKLE AND MEASURES OF PROGRESS TO ASSESS.  A VISION HELPS REACH CONSENSUS AGREEMENT BUT CAN BE USED TO COMMUNICATE YOUR AGRENDA TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SERVICE PROVIDERS.

1. SOME EFFORTS ARE USING COALITIONS OR CONFEDERATIONS AS A WAY TO ADD-VALUE TO WHAT INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE TRYING TO DO—AND AS A WAY TO COMPETE WITH OTHERS FOR RESOURCES AND ATTENTION. THIS TYPE OF APPROACH TO HELPING EACH OTHER AND YOURSELF IS COMPLEX BUT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE.

1. MANY GROUPS ARE LOOKING CLOSELY AT OTHER WATERSHED-WIDE AND LANDSCAPE MODELS FOR IDEAS TO HELP THEM DESIGN A “PLACE-SPECIFIC” APPROACH.  THERE HAS BEEN AN EXPLOSION OF LOCAL INNOVATION ACROSS THE US AND THE WORLD.  IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED EXAMPLES SUCH AS THE CHESAPEAKE AND POTOMAC, LOOK INTERNATIONALLY AT SUCH PLACES LIKE:

1. RHINE RIVER AND THE PORT OF ROTTERDAM:  LARGEST PORT IN THE WORLD; 30,000 SHIPS AND 300 MILLION TONS OF GOODS.  WORKING ON A STRATEGY FOR CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS.  EMPHASIS ON KEEPING THE PORT OPEN, BUT ALSO ELIMINATING SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION; SAFEGUARDING DRINKING WATER AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE NORTH SEA.

1. AUEN INSTITUTE FOR FLOODPLAIN ECOLOGY:  PART OF THE WORLDWIDE FUND FOR NATURE BASED IN RASTATT, GERMANY.  TAKING A HOLLISTIC VIEW OF RIVERS AND DEDICATING RESEARCH TO HELPING GOVERENMENTS PRESERVE AND IMPROVE RIVERINE LANDSCAPES THROUGHOUT EUROPE.  FOCUS IS ON RESTORING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF PROTECTING AND RESTORING THE FUNCTIONS OF NATURAL FLOODPLAINS ALONG THE RHINE, DANUBE AND ELBE RIVERS.

1. EMSCHER PARK IN GERMANY’S RHUR VALLEY—ONCE THE HEARTLAND OF EUROPE’S STEEL AND COAL INDUSTRY. USING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO ILLUSTRATE THE LATEST THINKING IN ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC REGENERATION OF A FORMER INDUSTRIAL REGION.  17 AUTHORITIES WORKING WITH THE STATE AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, USING EXISTING PROGRAM MONIES MATCHED WITH PRIVATE DOLLARS TO SUPPORT 120 PROJECTS.   OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD WHICH HELPED TO LEVERAGE 5 BILLION DM’S.

D.  THE COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP EXCHANGE

1. MANY EFFORTS INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF “INDICATORS” TO MEASURE PROGRESS TO HELP DOCUMENT RESULTS.  ALONG THE MOUTH OF THE SUSQUEHANNA HAVRE DE GRACE PROPOSED THAT EXISTING RIVER ACCESS SITES BE USED AS “WINDOWS ON THE RIVER” TO ANSWER THE QUESTION “HOW IS THE RIVER DOING”?  MAKING US OF PLACES WHERE PEOPLE COME IN CONTACT WITH THE RIVER CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF SHARING USEFUL ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION.

1. FINALLY, MANY GROUPS HAVE LEARNED THAT IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO DO GOOD WORK BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO MARKET, MARKET, MARKET… YOUR RIVER AND EFFORT.  SUCCESS IN MANY WAYS IS A STATE OF MIND THAT CAN BE CONTAGIOUS.

SO WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHERE ARE YOU NOW? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED EFFORT?  THE COLLABORATION AND ENERGY THAT LED TO THIS MEETING AND IS VISIBLE TODAY IS WONDERFUL.  THESE TYPES OF GATHERINGS HAVE VALUE IN RE-CONNECTING US WITH EACH OTHER TO SHARE IDEAS AND INSPIRATION.  THEY CAN ALSO BE A PLACE TO DISCUSS HOW YOU CAN MAKE THE WHOLE OF THIS EFFORT GREATER THAN THE SUM OF Its PARTS.

LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS.

1. FIRST, RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE WATERSHED NEEDS ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND ANYTHING YOU DO TOGETHER MUST ADD-VALUE TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING INDIVIDUALLY.  HOW IS THE WHOLE LARGER THAN IT’S PARTS?

1. SECOND, ALTHOUGH LOCAL INITIATIVES ARE MORE AND MORE RECONGIZED AND SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC AGENCIES AND PRIVATE GROUPS, THE COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES IS INTENSE AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO DO GOOD WORK AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.

1. FINALLY, AS YOU FASHION A “CALL TO IMPLEMENTATION” THINK ABOUT SOMETHING RICHARD WAKEFORD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE COMMISSION ONCE TOLD ME WAS A KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF HIS SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS.

--HE SAID, DEVELOP IDEAS WHICH ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND AGREED TO BY THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS.

--THEN DEMONSTRATE HOW THE IDEAS WORK AND THEIR BENEFITS IN SPECIFIC PLACES.

--HE SAID, IF THE DEMONSTRATIONS WORK, PUBLICIZE THE RESULTS AND GIVE THE IDEAS AWAY SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP CARRY OUT THE WORK.

1. FINALLY, BE SURE THAT YOUR WORK ISN’T ABOUT GOVERNMENTS, COMMISSIONS, GROUPS, OR COUNCILS.  IT’S NOT ABOUT ACRONYMS, MEETINGS, REPORTS OR SLOGANS. ALTHOUGH IMPORTANT RECONGITION AND ENDLESS PROCESS ARE NO SUBSTITUTES FOR LOCALLY-LED ACTION.   REMEMBER THAT YOUR WORK IS ABOUT THE DELAWARE RIVER, IT’S WATERSHEDS; IT’S PEOPLE AND THEIR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS SPECIAL PLACE.

IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE IN THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED SPEAKING WITH YOU ABOUT ONE OF THE GREAT RIVERS OF AMERICA.  YOUR WORK IS IMPORTANT AND THE WAY YOU DO IT IS UNIQUE.  MAY YOU HAVE CONTINUED SUCCESS!

THANK YOU!