Shepaug-Bantam River Board 1985.

Drew Parkin and the River Protection Movement

Drew Parkin and the River Protection Movement

February 12, 2008

J. Glenn Eugster

In 1979 I was working for the US Heritage Conservation & Recreation Service in Philadelphia, PA servicing a 13 state region including New England and Mid-Atlantic States and the District of Columbia.  We were 2/3^rds of the way to completing the Nationwide Rivers Inventory which was an effort to identify the most outstandingly remarkable rivers in America.  The review and experience of assessing these great rivers of America made our group excited about not only the identification process but the eventual protection of these amazing rivers.   While completing the inventory a number of us began to think about developing a technical assistance program to help governments and private groups protect rivers. 

We had just learned of Section 11 of the WSR Act from Chick Fagan who was working on studies of the Shepaug and the Housatonic Rivers in CT and his description of that provision showed us a path that we would follow to develop the concept that would lead to the SLRCAP and what is now RTCA.  Our earliest efforts were a supplement to the Implementation Assistance work that was coming out of the SCORP which helped to guide the LWCF.  

Our early Implementation Assistance work committed us to do a Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Rivers Conference at Mohonk, NY and the planning of the gathering feed a spirit of partnership between the states, HCRS and groups such as the NE Rivers Center.  The way that we had approached the NRI made it easier for state government leaders, especially in NY, MA, MD, VA, DE, RI and ME, to look at our small federal agency as an entity that was quite unfederal.

In addition to the Nationwide Rivers Inventory and the Mohonk Conference our office also made commitments through our LWCF State Liaison Officers to work with various agencies, and the public, on the CT Watershed Lands Project, the Delaware State Rivers Assessment, NY State Rivers Program Manual, Maine River Information System, James-Tye River Nuclear Proposal Assessment, and the Sheepscot River Assessment.

All of this work was a transition from NRI to river info systems, which we called Statewide River Assessments.  It also broke away from the narrow wild and scenic, or natural rivers, orientation, toward a more holistic approach to rivers including ones with significant urban, cultural and recreation values.  This direction also reflected a new philosophy that embraced the idea that the river stewardship role should generally be assumed by the lowest possible level of government that is willing to pursue minimum standards for environmental quality.  River conservation was being advocated as a shared responsibility with the feds being one of the partners.

In May of 1980 the State of Maine and HCRS proposed the Maine Rivers Study. Work included assisting the state with a statewide inventory; establishing a technically sound and politically acceptable river conservation priority list; development of a model rivers inventory and priority process; further defining the appropriate role and relationships between Federal, State and local government agencies and private sector in river conservation.

While progress was being made in partnering to protect rivers, the bottom was falling out of the budgets that supported federal river conservation assistance.  Interestingly in June of 1980 the HCRS leadership, in response to conservative political winds and anticipated budget cuts, made decisions to use temporary staff to get work done in the unit that did river protection work.  "Keep permanents low and maximize temps", was the direction that HCRS Regional Director Bob McIntosh gave his rivers office.

Undaunted by the anticipated budget shortfalls, in October 11, 1980 the rivers office proposed to implement the most significant river conservation opportunities as identified by the NRI in partnership with states, local governments, private groups and landowners.  The proposal called for staff and funding to establish greenway/ river corridor management plans; local tasks forces for each river; and technical assistance by HCRS.

Interestingly, early in 1981  the rivers office received a call from Farmington River Watershed Association who were interested in a possible technical assistance study as an alternative to National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act bill.  A proposal to divert the Farmington’s flow was sparking citizen and local government support.

In March 1981, with the arrival of the Regan Administration, the managers of HCRS imposed a hiring freeze.  The following month HCRS and NPS, including each of the agencies river functions, were proposed to be merged.

In May of 1981 a representative of the State, in response to interest by Governor Joe Brennan, requested the rivers office to accelerate the Maine Rivers Study.  Maine’s rivers were being examined by energy interest and there was widespread concern about the negative impacts that the hydropower boom would have on the state’s rivers.  A quick assessment was suggested and the project was accelerated.

As the Maine Rivers Study work accelerated existing staff continued to depart the agency fearing that a reduction in force that was being threatened would actually happen.  By June, despite the interest of the Governor, the study team consisted of one person who also had significant other duties.

I first met Drew Parkin, then of Watertown, MA, when he was completing his Master’s degree at MIT.  He responded to a flyer that I had posted at MIT as I look for college students who were interested in working with NPS to help Maine protect its rivers.  We talked by telephone sometime between June 22 and July 20, 1981. Drew and I discussed his involvement in a NPS-State of Maine partnership project and the Governor’s interest in looking at meeting Maine’s energy and river conservation needs simultaneously.   

As the project unfolded in Augusta, the State Capitol, we continued talking and eventually met in Boston in September with another college student from the University of PA named Dave Lange.   Drew and Dave, from a distance with a very modest budget and no other staff support, served as the National Park Service project leaders of the Maine Rivers Study.  The statewide rivers effort led to the protection of XX miles of Maine’s rivers from new hydro-power projects and established a river conservation policy that continues to be a model for other efforts across America.

Drew Parkin’s work on the Maine Rivers Study, also demonstrated the value of partnerships at all levels of government and the private sector and the importance of a quiet, enabling leadership role for the federal government.  Not only did the study protect important rivers it demonstrated how these types of river assessments could be used to make objective decisions and integrate and achieve protection and development goals simultaneously. 

The Maine Rivers Study was also the key building block for what would become the NPS Rivers & Trails Program.  Not only did the project accomplish tangible results but it demonstrated the next generation of leaders and proved that a shared approach to river protection was not only essential but possible to achieve.

Drew Parkin’s work for NPS, first as a graduate student, then as a temporary employee, and finally as a permanent employee, revolutionized river protection work in the NPS, in more than 25 states across America.  Initially he helped to design a statewide rivers methodology that melded good science with good civics as a way to decide what rivers, and their intangible and tangible values and functions should be protected, why and how.  His work in Maine led to changes in river laws, regulations, policies and approaches that continue to be used 25 years later.  

The methodology he helped to design relied on objective, quantitative and qualitative river information based on research studies and expert opinion.  It enabled public and private leaders to identify different levels of river resource significance, identify the suitability of areas for different uses, and do comparative analysis.  The Maine Rivers Study methodology was modified by Drew and others to assess the state’s lakes and most recently was used in Maine’s assessment of areas suitable for wind-power.

The methodology that Drew helped to design in Maine was sought out by many government and private sector leaders in the 1980’s and 1990’s.  It was subsequently used to identify important river values and functions in Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, New York, Maryland, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Utah, Texas, California, and Hawaii. 

In addition to his leadership in statewide river protection efforts Drew also helped advance the approaches that have been used on specific river corridors and watersheds.  While working in the Northeast Office of NPS Drew helped public and private partners successfully design and implement the Wildcat Brook National Scenic and Recreational River effort in New Hampshire and the Farmington Scenic and Recreational River effort in Connecticut.

Drew Parkin’s selfless river protection work over the last 25 years is outstanding.  His commitment and approach to help others help themselves to protect rivers and their related land areas has had more impact on river values than any other individual during this time period.  Recognizing Mr. Parkin at the 50^th Anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act is both timely and appropriate. Throughout his career, due to his partnership approach and quiet and enabling leadership style he has largely gone unrecognized except by those people and living resources he has worked with and protected.   He has implemented the vision, intent and spirit of the Act in ways that should, or at least would, make the authors of the legislation proud of the results and optimistic about the future of America’s rivers.

Schuylkill River Front, Philadelphia, Pa.