Friday, January 25, 2013

Envisioning the James…Your Opinion Is Requested


by Gabe Silver, JRA Education & Outreach Manager

Rivers often form borders between social and political entities, places in-between that have been bickered over, neglected, abused, and sometimes forgotten.  But today, people are turning to rivers as places that connect us to our natural and cultural heritage, as places to play, as places that demand cooperation and collaboration if we are to benefit from them today and in the future.  

Last year, the James River Association teamed up with the Chesapeake Conservancy and National Geographic to launch the “Envision the James,” a project to define a positive vision for the future of America’s Founding River. Together, we’ve been seeking opinions from all quarters by asking questions about topics such as habitat restoration, land conservation, river access, water quality, recreational trails and tourism. Hundreds of interested citizens, businesses, organizations, and localities have given us their opinions and from this the values and concerns that people have with regards to the James have begun to take shape.
Today, we are asking you, the informed and intelligent reader of this blog, to add your two cents to the mix.

We’ve researched some of the most interesting and effective river-corridor initiatives in four theme areas; Heritage and Geotourism, Recreation and River Access, Wildlife Habitat, and Conservation and Restoration.  You can take a look at these examples, and the concepts they illustrate, in this online document.

After getting a feel for these different concepts, please go to the online survey page and take the Envision the James Concept Survey.  Make sure to click on the Join the Community tab so we can stay in touch as this project moves from imagination to implementation.  

Thank you for helping to define this vision for the future of our river. Working together toward common goals, we will find ways to enjoy and protect the James for our benefit today and make it a healthier James for the generations to come.

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