OVERVIEW

The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly called on to support the conservation efforts of state and local government and citizens' organizations.  NPS technical assistance programs are helping conserve and enhance close-to-home rivers, trails and open spaces in communities far outside the national parks.  Through it's Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, the NPS helps bring quality nature-based recreation opportunities to people where they live and work.
 

THE ROLE OF THE RTCA PROGRAM

RTCA serves as a facilitator helping interested communities set goals, resolve difficult issues, and reach consensus about the conservation and management of important land and water resources which are outside the control of the federal government.  RTCA is one of the smaller and lesser- known programs of the NPS.  It has 80 employees in 22 offices across the country and a budget of $7.1 million a year.
 

FORGING PARTNERSHIPS

RTCA becomes involved in projects when it is formally asked by landowners, local officials and citizens who share a desire to protect or improve their communities.  All projects are founded on cost-sharing, cooperation, and community initiative.  In these partnerships, the role of the NPS is to help achieve the goals that are set collectively by the partners.  More than 1,000 national and local partners — including nonprofit citizen organizations and units of Start, county and local government — work with RTCA on these projects and activities.
 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In the last ten years, RTCA has helped over 1,000 communities across the country implement an estimated 400 locally-guided conservation projects without the use of federal funds, management, or ownership.
 

1998 PLANS

In 1998 RTCA will start, continue, or complete it's involvement in $250 million worth of locally- controlled, partner-funded conservation projects throughout the United States, or over 35 times the program's annual budget.  The 209 projects are located in the communities in 46 states.  The projects include more than 1,100 miles of new trails, 1,200 miles of additional river corridors, and 35,000 acres of expanded parkland and open spaces.
 

RTCA AT WORK

Rivers.  In some areas of the country, flood-related disasters are being countered by a proactive approach to floodplain planning.  In 1997, RTCA helped 17 communities improve the way they manage their river corridors.

Trail and Greenways.  RTCA works with numerous trail and greenways advocated to promote the vision of an interconnected trail and greenways systems across America.  These trails and greenways range from urban trails and community pathways to "rails-trails" created from abandoned rail lines.  RTCA provides technical assistance to help form partnerships, identify options for routes, design landscape or construction details, and assist in leveraging financial support

Wild and Scenic Rivers.  RTCA supports designated wild and Scenic Rivers in several ways, including reviewing and evaluating requests from governors and reviewing proposals for developments that affect designated or eligible rivers.

Hydroelectric Relicensing.  Last year RTCA worked on 22 hydropower relicensing in 10 states though a process established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  RTCA staff facilitated negotiations, designed whitewater boating studies, and worked with user groups to lessen conflicts among industry, boaters, and people who fish.

Urban Revitalization Projects.  RTCA has provided technical assistance to more than 50 projects since 1998, helping to link communities with their natural resources.  Approximately half of these have been in urban areas such as Detroit and Los Angeles.