Meeting of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Federal Advisory Commission
11 August 2022, 9:30am-3:00pm EST, Park Headquarters
FAC Meeting Roster
Name, Role, Attendance
CHOH Employees
Tina Cappetta, Superintendent, DFO
John Noel, Deputy Superintendent
Mackensie Henn, Assistant to the Superintendent
Ben Helwig, Chief of Business Management
Ed Wenschhof, Chief Ranger
Andrew Landsman, Natural Resources Program Manager
Justin Ebersole, Cultural Resources Specialist
Kevin Stanfield, GIS Specialist
Blyth McManus, Museum Curator
Joe Reed, Park Engineer
Christiana Hanson, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers
Commissioners
Joseph Adkins, Frederick County (absent)
Thomas Birch, District of Colombia (absent)
David Brickley, Virginia (absent)
Mark Cucuzzella, West Virginia (absent)
George Franks, Washington County
Angela Hummer, Maryland (absent)
Stella Koch, Virginia (absent)
George Lewis, Chair, At Large
Rod Mackler, Maryland
Stephen Nelson, Allegany County
Walter Stull, Frederick County
Scott Walzak, District of Colombia (absent)
Evelyn Williams, At Large
Francis "Champ" Zumbrun, Allegany County
Other Attendees
Ed Enamait, Member of the Public
Ward Pauly, Member of the Public
Harry Nogle, Member of the Public
Shayna Gutcho, Congressional – Trone
Nan Mann, Congressional – Van Hollen
Robin Summerfield, Congressional – Cardin
Dan Neff, Congressional – Mooney
Minutes
Call to Order at 9:30
- Roll Call conducted by Mackensie Henn, Secretary, meeting at quorum
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Administration of Commission
- Review of the Agenda
- Members of the public reminded that the public comment period is later in the day for public comment
- Members of the commission asked to keep questions to the designated times
- History of the Commission
- Thanks given to the commission for their support and dedication to the Park and the Commission
- Commission is here to listen and provide advise on policy issues that may affect the administration of the park, to advise
- Introductions of the public [See above roster for names]
- Save the date
- September 21, 2022 – Headquarters Ribbon Cutting
- March 2, 2023 – Next meeting of the FAC
- Please contact Mackensie Henn via email Mackensie_henn@nps.gov to update your commission biography or contact information
- For further questions about the commission please see Dr. Lewis or Mackensie Henn.
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Operational Briefings
- Management – Presenter: Tina Cappetta, Superintendent and John Noel, Deputy Superintendent
- Welcome given to those in attendance
- State of the park and progress towards the strategic plan
- Visitor Spending Effects 2021
- In 2021, 5.0 million park visitors spent an estimated $104 million in local gateway regions while visiting Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
- Expenditures supported a total of 1,360 jobs, $59.8 million in labor income, $98.6 million in value added, and $161 million in economic output in local gateway economies.
- National Economy
- In 2021, 297 million park visitors spent an estimated $20.5 billion in local gateway regions while visiting National Park Service lands across the country.
- These expenditures supported a total of 323 thousand jobs, $14.6 billion in labor income, $24.3 billion in value added, and $42.5 billion in economic output in the national economy.
- FY04 and FY21 Comparison
- Demonstrated an increase in budget of roughly 18% and visitor use of 78% while the full-time employees decreased by nearly
45%
- Park Priorities
- Create a culture of leadership
- Growing operational capacity
- Reactivating interpretive zones
- Ensuring towpath continuity
- Protecting areas and species of concern
- Improving internal and external communications
- Begin gathering data to create a climate resilience plan
- Addressing boundary and lands issues
- Whites Ferry Sportsman Club issue, curtailing private use of public lands
- Development Concept plan to engage the public on how to best use the area
- Park Budget
- President’s budget has a healthy budget increase for the park
- Inflation reduction act has funding for NPS through 2030/31 that could help the park work towards priorities
- Infrastructure Act could also help the park with roads throughout the park
- Questions for Cappetta
- Chairman Lewis encouraged the park to discuss how the park makes decisions for the park, specifically in interpretive zones
- Park Response:
- Covid played a role in the closures as well as staffing positions which the park is working to remedy
- Park decided to depart from the strategic plan to reopen Cumberland and working to staff the area
- Working on wayfinding to increase visitation in Cumberland
- Park is working to economize to allow for more staff to better serve the park
- Also working with partners where possible, but staffing limits the ability of volunteers to work
- Commissioner Nelson asked about the possibility of more open hours for the Cumberland Visitor Center (VC) in the future
- Park Response
- This is possible with new staffing (a permanent position in Cumberland) and supplementing with
interns/volunteers/partners to keep the visitor center open during the week
- Follow up – How can the commission/individuals help?
- Expanding Operational Capacity – John Noel, Deputy Superintendent
- Division of labor between Superintendent and Deputy
- Superintendent functionally supervises: the Chiefs of Interpretation, Education, Volunteers; Resources; Visitor and Resource Protection
- Deputy functionally supervises: the Chiefs of Business Management; Facility Management; the Safety Officer
- Both play a role in every division and in partnerships
- Initiative: Paw Paw Bends Trail Improvements
- Project Background
- Addresses critical rehabilitation needs and creates a continuous 12-mile accessible connection and recreation
experience between Little Orleans, Maryland and Paw Paw, West Virginia, through the Paw Paw Bends.
- The project will increase tourism and improve the visitor experience to those who visit the area
- Project
- Extending the existing Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) through West Virginia, while improving the
towpath
- Project Schedule
- Grant submitted January 9, 2022
- Department of Transportation (USDOT) is reviewing applications and grant awards should be announced soon.
- If the grant is awarded, National Park Service (NPS) and Federal Highway Administration will:
- Award a Design-Build contract in FY23 (July 2023; 18 months)
- Complete design and start construction in FY25 (July 2025; 24 months)
- Complete construction in ~2027
- Initiative: Williamsport Headquarters Campus
- The commission already received a briefing of the building at last year’s briefing
- The land is owned by Washington County (WaCo) and is leased from Maryland Economic Development Cooperation (MEDCO)
- After 30 years, the NPS can accept the site
- This includes the other buildings on the campus, the Cline House and the Miller Lumber Building
- Part of the agreement of the land is the improvement of the historic buildings
- NPS is unable to use NPS funding to support the buildings
- The exteriors have been improved now the internal refurbishment needs to be completed
- NPS is working with Washington County (WaCo) to seek funding and grants to support the restoration of the buildings (variety of sources) [see slide]
- Due to the time limit of some of the visitors, Chair Lewis brought up the issue of the need for legislation to renew the commission
- Commission to sunset on September 26, 2024
- Robin Summerfield, Sen. Cardin’s Western Maryland representative, volunteered to coordinate the congressional effort for the re-establishment of the commission
- Chair asked for the members of the congressional offices to keep that need in mind
- Expanding Operational Capacity – continued
- The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA)
- Park is actively working to take advantage of GAOA
- $1.3B per year for five years
- Funding available in FY2021-2025
- Addresses deferred maintenance and repair projects
- Opportunity to address large scale projects that cannot be funded through typical NPS funding
- The park submitted a total of 5 projects for a total $491m, only two are funded
- Dam #5 Left Abutment- FY2021
- Stabilization of Drylaid Stone Wall near Mile Marker 11-FY2022The park has been successful with 2 projects including Dam 5 Left Abutment and the stabilization of the log wall
- The park has 5 other projects in need of funding
- Repair Historic Dams #4 & #5
- Address Deficiencies and infrastructure repairs for 33 miles of towpath (MM 42.3-74.04)
- Preserve Historic Structures & Rehabilitate Cultural Landscape Old Town District (MM 136-184)
- Preserve Historic Structures & Rehabilitate Cultural Landscape Palisades District (MM 8.67-22.9)
- Repair Park facilities and restore canal operations in Williamsport
- Chair opened the floor to questions
- Questions/Response for Noel
- Chair asked Noel if funding would also go to support staffing for these projects
- Some of the funding will support the funding of staffing
- The park will not overload the current staffing
- Summerfield, Senator Cardin’s office, taking the creation of legislation to renew the commission and support the new nominations into process
- Commissioner Makler
- Is there money available to re-do the Evitts Creek aqueduct? Ability to look at the Engineering reports of
other aqueducts through the park?
- There is funding that has been requested
- Commissioner Zumbrun
- Asked about the possibility of the NPS acquiring the Cresip house in Oldtown.
- Not a current park priority
- Commissioner Franks
- What is the process for the projects to get funding through GAOA?
- For NPS funding sources: Start at the park, then to region which prioritize within the regional parks, then forwarded at the Washington level, then the legislative
- Other funding sources are avaible
- Neff/Mooney
- Expressed interest and support for the WMRT project
- Encouraged the park to look into the Tri-county Council and possible funding opportunities for Miller Lumber buildings rehabilitation work
- Park lacks the required matching funding for grants
for that rehab work
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Park Administration – Presenter: Ben Helwig, Chief of Business Management
- Business Management Division Overview
- Mission control at the park, behind the scenes
- Business management serves the whole park, reflecting the administration of the park
- Bette Anne – Budget Analyst
- Budget is more than just crunching the numbers; it actively uses the budget to advise the park
- Heckman – Fleet
- Park property is spread throughout the park
- Small housing program, time and work go into running, don’t forget paperwork
- Allison
- Contracting and HR support and utilities
- IT
- CHOH established a high-quality IT system, one of best in NPS
- Complicated and innovative system
- Partnerships program
- Bates – HQ Partnerships
- Coordinates many official and unofficial partners,
- Managing and tracking money for specific projects, liaison
- Lehmann – Georgetown (GT) Partnerships
- New position, a site manager for GT and the partner, field position
- Partnership program
- Georgetown Heritage canal boats successful run for the season, to be impacted
- C&O Canal Trust – quarters, canal for all, canal discoveries app, canal community days
- Grant work, paperwork for grants
- Budget
- Looking at possible increase for the next fiscal year
- Questions and Advice
Commission broke for a 10-minute break – Reconvened at 11:10
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Visitor and Resource Protection – Presenter: Ed Wenschhof, Chief Ranger
- Program Responsibilities - Mixed public facing projects and focuses
- Law Enforcement
- Special Park Uses
- Physical Security
- Emergency Medical Services
- Search and Rescue
- Wildland Fire Management
- Structural Fire Management
- Recreation Fees and camping fees
- 11 law enforcement rangers at the park, currently 8 are staffed cover 160 miles of the park USPP covers the lower sections of the park
- Enforce the US Code and Federal Regulations, including the Superintendent’s Compendium
- Work hand in hand with local agencies due to the geography of the park to coordinate incidents, have agreements with those agencies
- Frequent issues
- Large recreational groups at Great Falls (GF) and Boat Ramps (22 access points), 31
- Trash and graffiti, and vandalism
- Issues with vehicle break ins
- Homeless encampments/illegal camping
- Working with region to get them social services
- Questions and Advice
- Chair asked for metrics through the park
- Anecdotal: Hot spots in Cumberland, issues throughout the park
- What is the policy towards unhoused people in the park?
- DC and Montgomery County working to create a unified policy with other parks; in other areas of the park unofficial efforts are made to connect with social services; final decision made based on the effect of trash/natural/cultural resources
- Member of the public asked if there has been issues between campers and visitors in the park
- The park relies on the communication link between the public and park police to report issues
- Commissioner Stull
- Asked about the train wreck in Brunswick
- Tina – Mayor of Brunswick has written a letter about the issue with the blocking of the Brunswick access point
- The park is supportive of the mayor’s concern and concerned about the park’s access for both safety and public access
- Resource Management – Presenters: Andrew Landsman, Natural Resources Program Manager; Justin Ebersole, Cultural Resources Specialist; Kevin Standfield GIS Specialist; Blyth McManus, Museum Curator
- Introductions
- The staff are on the cutting edge of their fields and within the NPS
- Program updates
- Natural resources research and management – Andrew Landsman
- Aquatic Habitats and Resources – feasible monitoring
- Wetland Amphibians 2022
- Progress has been made, surveyed 53 locations in Western Maryland, data shows a decrease in species in the last 20 years
- Wetland Restoration 2023
- The 2022 report informs the restoration
- Pilot use of eDNA
- Future project will use Environmental DNA, looking at what species are present within the ecosystem
- Amphibian Acoustic monitoring 2024
- Visiting wetlands and installing passive listening to identify species
- Threated and Endangered Species
- Species Propagation
- Partnering with the Mt. Cuba Center gardens to propagate over 200 rare plants in the park
- Critically Imperiled Species
- Project Resurvey to resurvey incorporate into propagation
- Digital Herbarium 2024
- Data will be digitized for the public and researchers
- Allows for more active outreach
- Meadow restoration 2024-2025
- Focusing on specific areas and unused farm properties to natural meadows
- Forest Habitats and Resources
- Invasive species and insects
- Looking at the impact of invasives on insects, which are the worst of the worst, helps to prioritize
- Integrated Pest Management 2023
- Focusing efforts on invasive control
- Priority species/locations
- Vines along towpath/structures
- Prathers Neck
- Landscape Connectivity
- Bat Habitat connectivity and use
- Project is to look at nexus point of state/federal lands in bat populations
- Case study: Fort Frederick and Little Brown bats
- Carnivore distribution
- Expanding monitoring into state park areas
- Grassland pollinators
- Looking at how management processes are impacting
- Prescribed Fire 2023
- Unleased farm land field being prepped
- Cultural resources research and management
- Tribal Affiliation Study
- The Park had a needed and significant response to present-day discussion of decolonization and reframes the history of the Park by putting the complex and overlooked presence of Indigenous people at the center of the story.
- Began out of desire to address management needs pertaining to petroglyphs and other sensitive resources
- Study grew to inform the entire national capital areas
- Prime opportunity to connect and engage with tribes, as well ask about and acknowledge their history and heritage in the region
- These areas face challenges like erosion and desecration
- Next steps are to reach out and engage the tribes, work through NAGPRA (Native Americans Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) issues, and discuss how to best engage the public based on their heritage
- African American Communities in Washington, DC and Lower Montgomery County, MD
- Study commissioned to broaden understanding of the significant role that African American communities and individuals played in the development of canal towns along the C&O Canal as well as their contributions to the canal’s operation and development
- Report reveals there is more research needed on this subject
- Updated boundary surveys and encroachments
- Background
- Original Canal Company Lands
- 1970s acquisitions
- What we hope to accomplish
- Establish and update official park boundary
- Eliminate encroachments
- Support park management
- Active Boundary Management
- Sub-meter GPS receivers
- Easy access to official park
- Boundaries - Whites Ferry 2022
- Commissioner Mackler – asked about the Whites Ferry lands issue
- Tenants have moved out, park is looking at future demolition of remaining cabins, and the future of the land use
- Great Falls Entrance Road 2022 – looking at encroachments, clarification of the boundary will help the park address
- Potomac Ave NW 2022 - issues with trees and storm damage, clarifying the park’s responsibility
- Potomac Vicinity 2023 – working to clarify scenic easements
- Harpers Ferry Vicinity 2023
- Dargan Vicinity 2023
- Paw Paw Vicinity 2023
- Museum collections and access to archives
- A Focus on Stewardship
- Compact shelving provides efficient storage
- Information readily available to both staff and to the public
- Archival quality housing
- Inventoried/labeled
- Creation of a proper finding aid
- Compliance with NPS standards
- Trolley Barn
- About 95% of records and archival material (1,000 boxes) moved from Hagerstown to Trolley Barn and into new Headquarters
- Remaining boxes contain audio-visual material which will move to dedicated space in Headquarters
- Headquarters
- Duplicative and out-of-scope items culled and discarded
- Reboxing to conserve and protect irreplaceable material
- Expanding intellectual control while reducing footprint
- Historic maintenance files from 83 to 48 linear feet
- Museum objects to go to Museum Resources Center
- Outreach to the public
- Library Initiative
- Duplicative and out-of-scope items culled and discarded
- Reboxing to conserve and protect irreplaceable material
- Expanding intellectual control while reducing footprint
- Historic maintenance files from 83 to 48 linear feet
- Museum objects to go to Museum Resources Center
- Greater Impact through LIBRIS
- Collection information available online to NPS and public
- Next Steps
- Complete transition of materials to Headquarters and regional storage
- Activate internal and online directories to make historic documents more easily available to staff and public
- Open Reading Room / Library and Archives to outside researchers by appointment
- Collaborate to increase impact of upgraded resources
- Questions and Advice for Resources
- Commissioner Mackler
- What is the status of the proposed VC at the Williamsport campus?
- Park was not able to create a visitor center, funding was restricted, outreach to the public will expand, working on
funding for updating the trolley barn
- Commissioner Lewis
- Excited to see the park taking the boundary issue as a priority
- Concerns about bike safety issues in the park
- Happy to see a curator in the park, helping to tell the story of the
park
- Expressed gratitude for surveys and reports we’re doing
Commission broke for a 30-minute lunch – reconvened at 12:30
-
Maintenance – Presenter: Joe Reed, Park Engineer
- Divisional Reorganization
- Staff
- CHOH has reorganized the maintenance division to better reflect the needs of the park workload.
- We have divided the division into project management and operational subdivisions.
- Maintenance Shops –
- We will be moving out of GSA leased space in Williamsport and recommissioning the NPS owned facilities in Hancock and Pleasantville Rd location.
- This will save the park $360,000 per year and allow the hiring of additional staff.
- Dedicated Preservation Teams
- The reorganization will include a dedicated preservation team to better and more efficiently deal with repairs to culverts, waste weirs, lock gates and other historic structures within the park.
- The preservation team will work closely with the resource division and the facilities project management team to conduct condition assessments and acquire funding to repair and preserve these historic assets.
- Completed Projects
- Great Falls Tavern Roof Replacement
- Replace cedar shingled roofs in-kind
- Coated copper gutters replaced in-kind
- The adjacent pump house was also reroofed after extensive structural repair by inhouse staff
- Ongoing Projects
- Towpath Resurfacing
- In progress and Future [See Slide]
- Once all intended sections are resurfaced, maintenance staff will employ a strategy of replacing the wear course of approximately 16 miles of towpath a year in ten-year cycles.
- Preventative maintenance includes twice yearly inspections for washouts, center grass build up and encroaching vegetation. Deficiencies found will be addressed accordingly. In addition, all leaves and leaf litter will be removed after the fall season to prevent organic buildup.
- Paw Paw Slope Stabilization – on track to be out by winter 2022, project will also address to the tunnel [See slide for detail]
- Towpath Stabilization McManhon’s Mill to Lock 42 – Spring 2023 [See slide for detail]
- Future Projects
- Construction – Potomac Aqueduct Fencing [See slide for detail]
- Construction – Rehabilitation Levels 20, 21, & 22[See slide for detail]
- Construction – Level 33 Wall Stabilization [See slide for detail]
- Construction – Stabilization of Stone Wall near Mile Marker 11 [See slide for detail]
- Construction – Four Locks Boat Ramp [See slide for detail]
- Construction – Wasteweir #1 Restoration [See slide for detail]
- Construction – Repairs for Four Bridges [See slide for detail]
- Design – Improve Access at Byron Bridge [See slide for detail]
- Design – Stabilization of Potomac Dam No. 5 Left Abutment [See slide for detail]
- Questions and Advice
- Commissioner Stull – appreciate the park’s hard work to mitigate the detours impacting visitors
Commission was led on a tour of the Headquarters building by John Noel and John Adams
-
Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers – Presenter: Christiana Hanson, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers
- Visitor Centers
- 4 “Gateway” areas
- Gateway areas are where we have interpretive programming, exhibits, and staff. We also encourage visitors to enter the park through one of these locations as they will be able to find printed maps and other wayfinding information.
- Georgetown
- Great Falls
- Williamsport
- Cumberland
- Our two additional VCs are supported with partners – at this time, we are working on renewing the partnership agreement with the Brunswick Heritage Museum and are in conversations with local special interests groups at Hancock to identify a partner to support operations there.
- Current VC hours:
- Georgetown Visitor Center
- VC construction to stabilize the structure,
- Work began in Spring 2022; Estimated completion date is Fall 2022
- VC will remain closed while work continues, outdoor interpretation will continue
- Work will require the need to close the towpath in front of lock 3 which would impact visitor use and the boat program, hope to push work to end of boat season
- GT will remain an outdoor visitor service area while the VC is under construction
- Great Falls
- 5 days a week, Wednesday through Sunday
- Williamsport
- 3 days a week – Friday through Sunday
- Cumberland
- 3 days a week – Friday through Sunday
- Brunswick
- Open 2 days a week – Saturday and Sunday
- Hancock (Bowles House)
- Currently closed to the public as we work with local special interest groups to find a partner.
- For NPS operated VCs, hours are based on our staff and volunteer availability. For partner VCs, hours are based on partner staff and
volunteer availability.
- Additional Sites
- Abner Cloud House
- The Colonial Dames of America, Chapter III, shares the house with the Park and conducts interpretive programs
- This reopened in June of this year to the public
- Riley’s Lockhouse
- Working with park volunteers and the Girl Scout Council Nation’s Capital, programming is offered to area troops
- Programs restarted this year in June and will run through October
- Canal Quarters
- Through the Canal Trust, multiple lockhouses and their interpretation are made available to the public
- We are very grateful to the essential work that partners and volunteers do to make the visitors centers and other buildings of the canal welcome and accessible to the general public
- Boat Programs – right now we have two areas with boat programs operating.
- Partner Georgetown Heritage is hosting the boat program this season
- 1hr historic tour through GT
- 4 tours per day, 5 days a week
- Weekdays have had decent attendance (ebbs and flows, so some days the boat is not at capacity), the weekends
have been full boats
- Audience is predominantly local
- Tickets can be purchased through Georgetown Heritage’s website
- Mercer Boat program launched for the July 4th weekend
- Program is an hour long
- 2 tours per day on Saturdays and Sundays
- Timing and information is available on the park calendar
- We have filled the boat for all programs so far
- Boat programs are water level dependent – August can be a hard time for the boats as the Potomac is lower and thus water in the canal is lower, but we run as much as we can.
- Other Programs include:
- Lock demonstrations
- Hands-on thematic programming with local partners such as the Music Box Society of Wash DC
- This program introduced visitors to musical history and encouraged them to connect with the sounds along the canal both historically and today
- Safety/recreate responsibly pop-up programs
- We’ve noticed an uptick in new visitors to the park with the pandemic – which is great! But a lot of times we’re the “park in the backyard” spur of the moment trip, so we do a lot of education about hike safety, how much water you need, etc.
- Other pop-up programing helps to introduce the cultural and natural resources of the park to visitors.
- We are also beta testing new bike-powered mobile visitor center to meet our visitors throughout the park
- Leaning into the cycling tradition on the C&O, we have two new mobile VCs on bikes. Eastern Maryland has the icecream bike like image you see. Western MD has an e-bike with a trailer (they cover a lot more ground)
- Not listed on the slide are programs like our Bark Ranger program and Junior Ranger programming
- Programing is dependent on staff - We have welcomed new staff and interns to help throughout the park and are in the process of filling two vacant positions in Western Maryland and one in Eastern Maryland.
- Virtual Interpretation
- The park uses digital interpretation to connect, engage, educate, inform, and foster stewardship in a global audience.
- Our Virtual Visitors are a mix of people who regularly use the park and those who have never been here before. They also reflect a
diverse audience with wide age, gender, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve had an increase in our Virtual Visitors.
- With our website, social media, videos and app, the park served 329,510 Virtual Visitors in FY21.
- So far in FY22, we have served 356,868 Virtual Visitors.
- So far, it’s an 8.3% increase. In our social media strategy, we generally look for 2-5% growth each year, so this is a great success.
- Social media strategy – it’s a 3 year plan specifically focused on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (places where there is two-way
communication).
- We have other digital tools that provide one-way delivery of information – these platforms are part of our interpretive strategy every year and include YouTube, Flickr, the new NPS App, our website, and Rec.gov.
- Main goals of the social media strategy are:
- Goal 1: Build and Diversify Audience
- Goal 2: Deepen Audience Engagement and Appreciation
- Goal 3: Create an Active Community of Practice for Employees
- Looking to the future, we will be developing 360 tours of multiple buildings in the park including Cushwa Warehouse and Lockhouse 44
- Continuing to develop interpretive videos and update web content to reflect new scholarship
- Non-Facilitated Interpretation
- Interpretive material outside of virtual that do not have a person helping visitors engage with the subject matter.
- Waysides
- Cleaning
- Assessment and Inventory
- Replacement
- Print Materials
- Park Planner, Hiking Trail Flat Maps
- Williamsport Walking Tour
- BGT-A Rock and Walk
- Mule Trading Cards
- Exhibits
- Including new scholarship into both our facilitated and nonfacilitated programs is ongoing work.
- Future Project:
- Ferry Hill work
- Trust assisted with grant from Network to Freedom [ASALH] for $10k
- Program highlights the underground railroad and supports projects that work to tell the stories of
the enslaved
- Park is matching the funds
- These funds will support the reinterpretation at Ferry hill, highlighting the stories of the enslaved
- New waysides, new brochures, redo webpage
- Mule exhibit at Great Falls:
- This fall will be mule-themed in interp. – we are working on the production of both a temporary exhibit in Great Falls aimed at answering the public’s most frequently asked questions about mules and, in Western MD, are creating a new interpretive video narrated by an animated mule created by one of our interns
- Education
- Distance learning opportunities, including virtual programs, continue for our education team and field trips with small groups have started to return on-site – based on feedback from the school, we have developed content that works with both Asynchronous and Synchronous learning.
- So far this year:
- Junior Ranger Program: 369 youth
- Distance Learning: 243 students
- Field Trips: 271 students
- Virtual Teacher Workshop: 56 teachers
- Outdoor Backpack Program: 40 elementary schools (school would have approximately 250-500+ students. If we averaged 375 students per school and multiplied by 40, the total would be 15,000 students (a year))
- Expanded resources:
- Explorer Back packs
- 40 Canal Explorer Backpacks distributed to Allegany and Washington Co. public elementary schools (no specific grade, passed from classrooms)
- Ready-made lessons or activities that can be adapted for inside or outdoors
- Activities are easily scaled and support K-5 learning standards
- Activities represent multiple themes (history and STEM)
- Supported by the Trust’s fundraising and generosity of donors
- Large impact: 40 packs/40 schools. A school would have approximately 250-500+ students. If we averaged 375 students per school and multiplied by 40, the total would be 15,000 students (a year)
- Jr. Ranger books – have a new book focused on canal history in both English and Spanish.
- Future development for early learners and STEM-based books.
- Curriculum development:
- This summer, thanks to funding via a National Park Foundation Open Outdoors for Kids grant, two local teachers will be working to develop new STEM-based curriculum for future programming.
- Additionally, planning is underway for summer training for Canal Classrooms Corps Teachers, to prepare for the upcoming school year.
- Volunteers
- Current volunteer program has 770 volunteers
- In FY21, 19,162 service hours were given to the park
- Volunteer recruitment efforts are ongoing for multiple positions
- We continue to support the Volunteer Action Plan and, as part of that, we are recruiting for a number of positions including (but not limited to):
- Billy Goat Trail Stewards
- Mule Care Volunteers
- New Photographs Volunteers
- Visitor Services Volunteers
- Programmatic Volunteers
- As part of our efforts to think broadly about service projects in the park, we have recently welcomed a new International Volunteer from Chile – part of the International Volunteers in Parks Program (IVIP).
- Volunteer Training and Appreciation
- Launched new quarterly meetings
- Brought back enrichment sessions. Topics included:
- Safety focused events such as ticks and other bugs
- Historical enrichment with partners like the Abner Cloud Dames
- And a presentation from our International Volunteer about her experience in the park and national parks in Chile
- Last year we hosted our first all-virtual volunteer appreciation. We heard positive feedback. This year we would like to keep that accessible feature but bring back in-person events as well, so planning is underway for a mixed in-person and digital series of appreciation events.
- Questions
- Mackler
- Buildings – plans to open the Bowles house and Lockhouse 8
- Main driving factor is the availability of staffing
- Boats – Why was the boat not running?
- Heavily impacted by water level in GF
- GT will not be running in the next few years
- WP boats are not running due to low staffing in the area
- Books – Is the park open to going to COCA for the printing of more than just the park planner?
- Yes, Christiana will reach out
- Franks – How are we getting volunteers?
- Through our partners and through advertising both in person and online
- Lewis – Any reference on how many podcasts referencing the park?
- This has been considered in programmatic offering but the park chose to focus on videos during the pandemic, production takes a lot of staff time to make each video accessible
-
Commissioner briefings
- George Lewis
- Emphasized the importance of the commissioners as ears and advocates for the park, thanks given
- Have been focusing on the smooth transition of the superintendent
- Have noticed an increase in commercial use of the river access at Lander, worried about the need to monitor the area for unauthorized use, impact to private use
- George Franks
- Thanks for the staff, impressed in person
- Great integration of tech
- Want to work
- Potomac Fish and Game club, felt that there was a handle on the issue with the boundary encroachments
- Request to evaluate the feasibility to access the towpath/canal at the end of Falling Water Rd.
- Rod Mackler
- Thanks for the invite/hospitality
- In an enviable position in the NPS
- 3 assets: the resource (the park itself/natural/historical), the staff (thank to the staff for their time), the partners (30+ organizations that work with the park and want to help)
- Commission has been passive but wants to be active, wants to be tasked to do something for the park, add value
- To do that, wants to know the park priorities… where do we want to go beyond FY23?
- Stephen Nelson
- Echo commissioner Mackler
- Mentioned VC in Cumberland, Alleghany Co is economically hit hard and the VC plays a major role in bringing in tourism, when is it going to be open longer?
- When we are able to staff the position in Cumberland, we are working constrained by timeline of the hiring process
- Towpath resurfacing in Western Maryland, spring gap to Cumberland is one of the worst sections of the towpath, very notable compared to the GAP trail, what does it take to get it prioritized?
- TAP grant has been submitted, it is a FY23 project; Noel to follow up
- Run down lockhouses in the Cumberland area
- Preservation team will allow us to do more of this in house; Noel to follow up
- Kudos to the staff
- Walt Stull
- Thanks to the staff, keeping up the quality when the quantity of staff has decreased
- How is the park addressing the speeding of bicycles on the new towpath surface? Inaccessible for those hard of hearing, there is a benefit to the median strip
- Have talked about what can be improved to our messaging for bicycle etiquette
- Is it possible to give out bells? Possible partnership opportunities
- Evelyn Williams
- Thanks to the staff, happy to be back
- Francis “Champ” Zumbrun
- Thanks to the staff, proud to be associated with the NPS and the commission
- Shout out to Hollie Lynch for the canal classroom corp, support for the program keep it going
- Voiced support for the park to consider supporting the Micheal Cresip house in Oldtown, possible housing and interpretation location, oldest standing building in Alleghany Co
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Public Comment Period
- Ed Enamait [See attached scan of written comment for full details]
- Present a personal proposal for the NPS to consider
- The American eel was one of the most populated in the Potomac River, heavily impacted by overfishing, and migration is imped the upriver migration by the Potomac Dams. The eel ladder at Dam 5 has been damaged in recent floods and remains unrepaired, possible lack of funds.
- Asking the NPS to consider being responsible to for the eel ladder at Dam 4, rather than fish and wildlife.
- Hope to keep the eel off the threatened species list, functioning eel ladder will blunt the national move to remove dams, benefit
to the eel to be able to move upriver
- Comments:
- Dr. Landsman comment – familiar with the project, and has spoken recently with fish and wildlife and they are still interested
in the establishment of the dam 4 eel ladder
- Tina - GAOA dam 4 and 5 projects include funding for new eel ladders as well as the repairs of the dams
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Closing Remarks
- Chair Lewis
- Thank the commissioners for their time
- Encouraged by Robin Summerfield, Sen. Cardin’s Western Maryland representative, volunteered to coordinate the congressional effort for the re-establishment of the commission
- Thanks to the staff for the quality of the briefings
- Thanks for the Commission Newsletter, encouraged to continue to communicate with the commission
- Asking what the commission can do to help? Use the tools provided
- Superintendent Cappetta, and Deputy Superintendent Noel
- Thanks for the commission
- Committed to follow up on the questions asked
- Need time as the management team as to how the commission can do meaningful work
- Beyond FY 23 is the focus of the future, a look to the next strategic plan
- Commissioners are allowed to serve until replaced, process are in place to reestablish the commission and the nominations of new commission members
Meeting adjourned at 3:00
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