Sunrise County Economic Council
Contact : Crystal Hitchings , Program Director
• Community Infrastructure and Promotion
• DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism chitchings @ sunrisecounty . org , 207-707-2057
August 25 , 2020 For Immediate Release
A National Heritage Area for DownEast Acadia ?
National Heritage Areas are working landscapes where the unique interplay of human activity and natural features have influenced each other and co-evolved over time in a manner that both reflects our collective National heritage .
The National Heritage Area program directly engages residents and visitors in preserving and experiencing the unique , place-based stories of cultures , traditions , landscapes , history , and people who occupy that place .
Sunrise county Economic Council is coordinating a Feasibility Study across the region to determine if the DownEast Acadia region has the community interest and capacity necessary to support a National Heritage Area ( NHA ) designation for the long term .
A Feasibility Study identifies cultural and landscape resources that exemplify a region ' s unique story and national significance , and determines if a region has the community support and commitment needed to support a successful long-term NHA program .
The National Heritage Area Program intends to :
• Foster Community-driven , heritage-based conservation and economic development
• Create collaboration amongst citizens and long-term commitment to pro-actively shaping the future of their communities
• Inspire stewardship of heritage resources by community members through increased awareness of our natural environment and cultural experience
• Provide a platform for heritage-based economic development by attracting visitors and new residents
NHA ’ s are designated by Congress , and 1:1 matching funds for heritage projects are provided to NHA communities from the Department of the Interior . An NHA is not a unit of , nor is any land owned or managed by the National Park Service or any other federal or state entity . NHA management is conducted at the local level by a nonprofit organization or collaboration and managing committee , including residents , businesses , community organizations , municipal representatives , and community leaders .
We ’ d like to know what you think ! Please visit sunrisecounty . org / national-heritage-area-program / to learn more about the NHA program and provide your input .
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