What We Do: Current Regional Issues
Restoring Gateway
NPCA’s Northeast Regional Office is working to revitalize the neglected Gateway National Recreation Area in New York City through "Envisioning Gateway: A Public Design Competition for Gateway National Park". This competition, through a partnership with the Van Alen Institute and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, generated concrete proposals for improving the park, sought public input and raised public awareness of the threats facing Gateway. NPCA has partnered with the Regional Plan Association to continue the public dialogue about the future of Gateway and increase public participation in Gateway’s upcoming General Management Plan. To learn how you can get involved, contact Oliver Spellman at ospellman@npca.org or 212.617.2769.
America’s Heritage: For Sale
NPCA advocates for the preservation of lands for sale within and adjacent to the northeast’s national parks, notably Cape Cod National Seashore, Minuteman National Historic Park, Acadia National Park, Martin Van Buren Historical Site, and Fire Island National Seashore. Hundreds of acres within and adjacent to these spectacular national parks are not protected by the National Park Service, leaving stories untold and precious national treasures vulnerable to development if the Park Service cannot acquire the lands. NPCA advocates for the use of the EPA’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to protect these lands, federal funds originally dedicated to this kind of acquisition. To learn more about the LWCF and why Congress should fully fund national park land acquisition needs, read NPCA’s recent report, America’s Heritage: For Sale.
Urban National Parks Alliance
NPCA’s New York office is spearheading an alliance across the country to connect efforts affecting national parks in urban areas. These “urban national parks,” including Gateway, are often the most underutilized and unrecognized, but also hold the biggest potential to reach and connect Americans with our National Park System. NPCA is working with the City Parks Alliance in this endeavor, and proudly participated in the 2008 International Urban Parks Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to help ensure a bright future for our urban national parks.
Protecting Acadia’s Iconic Beauty and Seashore Solitude
Plans are being discussed for the potential development of a large-scale resort on the Schoodic Peninsula, adjacent to Acadia National Park. NPCA advocates responsible land-use planning that leaves the resources and values of Acadia preserved for future generations. Visit the websites of other parks organizations NPCA works with to protect Acadia to learn more about this issue.
Preserving Maine Woods
NPCA’s Northeast Regional Office advocates the consideration of Maine Woods as a protected park. To learn more about this idyllic wilderness area, read Heidi Ridgley’s article in National Parks Magazine, or visit the Maine Woods Coalition website.
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