Transcripts For CSPAN2 The 20240704 : vimarsana.com

The great privilege of representing virginias fourth congressional district. You know, virginia is home to so many incredible sites with deep historical cultural ecological and environmental significance for our state in our nation. Is our job to Work Together to be stewards of these areas and ensure the preservation for future generations so they can learn about our history and experience these wonderful areas firsthand. Among the many important sites throughout our state is the Great Dismal Swamp located in the Hampton Roads region of my district. I want to slow chris lilly whos on on this call with us. Hes doing a great job with the swamping and keeping it going. I always chuckled to myself when i think about Great Dismal Swamp because well, it is great. Its not nearly the million acres that it used to be about tenth of the size. Um while allegedly as a swamp is does not look like a swamp. If as you think about it nor does it dismal theyre doing a really great job of keeping it up keeping your vibrant and i couldnt be more proud of them. What you may not know though, is that the Great Dismal Swamp was once a home in a refuge to a generation of africanamerican and indigenous populations who create a vibrant selfsustaining community hidden away from the threat of enslavement. The swamp also served as an economic hub of commerce between indigenous populations formerly indentured africanamerican communities and those who were escaping slavery. Due to this robust activity between these communities the Great Dismal Swamp contains heavy concentrations of important archaeological and cultural artifacts. You didnt know this either did you the swamp is also one of the only known waterbased stops on the underground railroad those fleeing and slavery would use the swamp for cover as they traveled north to freedom. Theres immense historical archaeological cultural environmental value in the region and we must do everything we can to protect it. Despite the importance of the Great Dismal Swamp and continues to be threatened. As i said at one time the swamp covered more than a million acres across, virginia and North Carolina. Today is about a tenth of its original size due in large part. To over development and threats of Climate Change and sea level rise. The other shrinking size of a Great Dismal Swampsion be a concern for everyone not just those of us who called the commonwealth home. They just was home has a great you as a unique and fragile ecosystem is home to a wide array of rare animals plants insect species. It also plays a vital role in the continued mitigation of the climate crisis. You see as fast ecosystem assists in the fight against climate crisis. By helping to absorb harm harmful gases in the atmosphere that contain to our Global Temperatures up. The greatest or swap is vital to understand our nations history and helping to ensure a Healthy Future for the next generation. And thats why ive been proud to fight for his preservation ever since i came to congress. I was proud to help lead many members of the virginia delegation and introducing a bicameral. Piece of legislation to assess the sustainability of feasibility of designating the Great Dismal Swamp as a National Heritage area this legislation is an important first step to the fight in the fight to conserve the vital Resources Wildlife and historical importance of this region. Not only will this designation as a National Heritage area preserve the regions integrity. It will also help stimulate the commonwealth economy through tremendous job of creation and local economic activity. I also had the privilege an opportunity to submit a funding requests to the House Appropriations committee committees consideration for the house appropriation committees consideration impossible inclusion in the upcoming appropriations process folks that starts in late july, so please keep your fingers crossed pray if you pray but we really would like to get some federal help for the region. This farming requests would provide the city of chesapeake. But the resources it needs to move and preserve the coinland school one of the oldest africanamerican schools in the Hampton Roads region. I want to salute and commend preservation, virginia for his efforts to shine a light on the importance of the coinland school and for including it on the list of one of the most endangered historical sites in our area. The radius will swap is truly one of our nations greatest historical cultural environmental treasures. In the fight for his preservation continues. I like to extend my thanks to preservation, virginia and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. For their continued efforts to protect endangered sites throughout the commonwealth. Please know that i am your partner and your colleague whenever and wherever you need me. Ill continue to advocating on the federal level the swanse preservation. We look forward to our continued collaboration protect to protect this incredible region. Thank you for allowing me to join you today. Im sorry the press of business requires me to jump off the call, but i wish you i hope you all have a wonderful conversation and know the were only a phone call away. God bless you. Thank you so much representative makita in both for being with us today and for all that youre doing. Take care. Take care. Now. You need your job. All right, as i mentioned preservationists and conservationists are increasingly recognizing the important connections between historic and Cultural Resources and our Natural Resources. A conservation easements heritage trails National Heritage areas are just some of the tools that are being used to advance these efforts and we have a superb panel today to talk more about National Heritage areas. With a focus on the recent interest in creating a nha National Heritage area for the Great Dismal Swamp as you heard congressman mceachern talk about a bit. In addition to our panel members. Id also like to point out we have two dhr staff with us elizabethford and mark wagner and theyre gonna be on the webinar to answer any questions. You you might have of dhr. And just one quick housekeeping note speaking of questions. We will take questions at the end if we have time. Hopefully well so please put them in the q a if we dont happen to get to him today because we have a number of excellent speakers. We will be sure to get back to you. So with that lets turn to our our panel members. Ill introduce them and theyll speak one at a time and then as i mentioned you will have some questions. First up. Id like to introduce jen hurst wender who virginia in 2008. And is now our director of Museum Operations and education jen oversees the interpretation preservation and general operational details of preservation virginias portfolio of nine properties. Um and six of these properties are open to the public including ill put in quick plug here Patrick Henry scotchtown the John Marshall house Bacons Castle smiths fort historic jamestown and the cape henry lighthouse. A urge you all to come visit. And jen will briefly share some information on using openspace space at these Historic Sites, jen. Thank you jeff. So i i know that most all of this panel is going to be talking about the dismal swamp, but before we get to that, im just going to be talking about some of the ways that preservation, virginia is Historic Sites are utilizing our open space and the and the landscape that surrounds us so im gonna give a brief little overview of just some of the projects that were involved in so im going to go ahead and and share my screen real quick. And lets see. All right. So, lets see if there we go, okay. So the first site that were going to kind of dive into is going to be Patrick Henry scotchtown. And so this is a great aerial shot of the property and next to this. I have a a map that was drawn up in the 60s. I believe 63 and its upside down so you can see the orientation of the site, but i did want to did want to point out that at this point scotchtown is in the process of developing a master plan for the entire property so that were not specifically focused on our historic structures, but ways that we can integrate the landscape for all of our visitors and the general public and so we own about 23 acres around around scotchtown historically, weve only done the archeology in this in this area closest to closest to the workyard. And so we have so much archeology or so much work to do so much. Thats thats remained uncovered. We know from historical record that there were enslaves quarters on this property. We have yet to find them. So thats a goal of ours and we also want to make sure that that were working with for virginia indian representatives. Do have a better understanding of how this land was used prior to 1717 when the original land was patented via a colonial grant to charles. Chisel. So that just kind of gives you an overview of what the space looks like. But while were still undergoing lots of research we are utilizing the space and in as many different ways as we possibly can and this is really through partnerships and everything that im going to be talking about in in the rest of my time is all about partnerships. I think that thats really the only way that we can possibly possibly move forward. So things partnering with local 4 age groups to utilize heritage breed livestock partnering to bring naturalization ceremonies to scotchtown. With hanover master gardeners to develop learning gardens and dye gardens and with local entrepreneurs and businesses to bring festivals like the beast feast to scotchtown. So those are very traditional ways of partnering and using the landscape that we have. And then well move on to Bacons Castle. And again, heres a great aerial shot of the of the property corresponding with in an older map. So Bacons Castle is kind of in the same situation as scotchtown. We have 40 acres that comes with this property and were looking forward to developing a master plan thats going to to help us develop a plan to integrate all of that landscape in with the historic fabric that that already exists and so archeology again is a major factor in how this is going to to play out, but with Bacons Castle, we are fortunate that we have this historic view shed of of farmland and forests. Thats pretty much been there through the four centuries that the structure the structure of Bacons Castle has existed. This original building was built in 1665 and its pretty much been an agricultural use ever since. So one of the projects that were working on in collaboration with with chip oaks state park is actually to do a historic road trace. And so the plan is is to reopen this three and a half mile. Road trail that would go from Bacons Castle to chipotes and in the distance in this area shot back here. You can see the james river. So this gives you an idea Bacons Castle was not built on the water. There is a creek where skiffs could get up and down the creek, but any any navigable channels would have to go to the deep water port here on the james river. And so so were working with the state park landowner to see if we can reopen that road trace which would open the property up to to bike walking and and horse trails. So definitely a partnership. Were looking forward to and so moving on to another Historic Site that we have in surrey. We have smiths fort so smiths fort has this manor house. Thats built in the 1750s, but really the name smith sport comes from a 1619 fort that john smith began but wasnt able to complete that it overlooks grace creek. And so grace creek and and became part of the john smith water trail and up in the right hand corner. You can see some representatives from Missouri Garden Club and other folks and surrey that were commemorating this event taking place. And so we have a water trail designation. We have a walking trail that goes from the manor house at smiths fort back to the fort site and just other ways that were also utilizing the property the local or whose property surroundsmiths for has been planting zinnias in on our property for now for several years, which is a really great way that its just bringing a lot of tourism to the site for people to pick their own city of flowers. Moving on to cape henry, so cape henry is located on an active military base and we have worked in partnership with the active military base and also the National Park site has a Cape Henry Memorial National Park site. So our interpreters provide a walking tour that takes people through different areas. You can see in the bottom right hand corner. Theres a world war ii era casemate mine case may and thats built into the dune of the lighthouse and working with the joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story we have been able to to utilize that space with our with with our interpreters to take guests through that area and look in there and really just get an idea of how this cape henry area was used for. The past 400 plus years. So then the last project that i want to talk about is something that its actually coming up next week. So John Marshall house in richmond, virginia has the least amount of property out of out of all of the Historic Sites that preservation virginia owns and operates and so theres not much landscape in the rights, matt dab in the middle of downtown richmond. However, this project is called the freedom constellation project is taking place next week where 160 foot banners are going to go on 9th and marshall street, and these banners are representing a project to to work towards ending juvenile incarceration. And so this project is in partnership with the Mayors Office and the Marshall House will be the main viewing station for this. This is an augmented reality project. So when were working with with landscapes, you can download the qr code on your phone and youll be able to see these 160 foot panels come to life with video and poetry and sarah will kind of go up into the sky in the clouds. So this is this is very much a partnership that kind of dropped into our laps, but its really a great way. To tie current judicial issues back to our Historic Site of chief justice John Marshall. So thats just a really quick sampling of some of the ways that that preservation virginia sites are using our historic landscapes. All right. Thanks jim. Now we will hear from elizabeth veemeyer who is a Program Coordinator with the National Heritage Areas Program at the National Park service in dc along with administering financial and Technical Assistance to 55 of these. Areas in 34 sites excuse me. Shes also. Working im sorry having a little technical issue here and along with the ministering financial and Technical Assistance in 55 these areas and 34 states the nha Program Provides Technical Assistance on the Feasibility Study process for emerging nhas. Shes also worked as an archaeologist grants Management Specialist with the National Park service and for the American Battlefield protection program. Elizabeth thanks chip, and i just want to say thank you to preservation, virginia for the invitation this afternoon. Im happy to be here. Im going to give an overview of the National Heritage area program and what National Heritage areas are and a little bit about what they do benefits that heritage areas bring to communities and the nation and a little bit about how nhs are designated in the Feasibility Study process . So first, what are National Heritage areas . The quick answer is there large lived in landscapes of National Importance and they designated by congress . However, heritage areas are both a place and an organizational model for conservation and preservation efforts. The organizing model which is done through a local Management Entity and processes. There is really grassroots and a Grassroots Level<