| Restoring Our History: A Victory At Gettysburg |
 |
Civil War buffs are celebrating a special victory this spring: After nearly 20 years of effort, the National Park Service has finally acquired a 95-acre property where Union and Confederate troops first clashed during the epic Battle of Gettysburg. The land, last used as a golf course, will now be restored to its historic 1863 character as part of Gettysburg National Military Park.
The Conservation Fund succeeded in saving the property by negotiating its purchase from a developer, buying the property and then transferring the land to the Park Service. This historic outcome was possible due to support from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a critical source of conservation funding across the country.
The newly protected land, known as Harman Farm, sits on Willoughby Run creek south of Chambersburg Pike. It was here that Confederate soldiers advanced on Union positions, turning rural farmland into the backdrop of bloodshed that marked our nation forever.
“As the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War draws near, our joint endeavor not only enhances the protection of the Gettysburg battlefields but also honors in a fitting tribute all those who fought, died and participated in the struggle for a national identity,” remarked Patrick Noonan, chairman emeritus of the Fund, at a recent dedication ceremony.
During undergraduate studies at Gettysburg College, Noonan and Rich Erdmann, executive vice president and general counsel at the Fund, became deeply interested in the Battle of Gettysburg. They were surprised to discover that more than half the 384 principal Civil War battlefields designated by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission were not protected. At the Fund in 1986, they joined forces with conservationist Frances Kennedy to launch our Civil War Battlefield Campaign, seeking to preserve these hallowed grounds and share their stories. Since then, we and our partners have protected 83 Civil War sites, representing more than 9,400 acres in 14 states.
At the ceremony, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar lauded the protection of this special place. “Gettysburg will always have a sacred place in the heritage of America for the pivotal role it played in our nation’s history and for the enormity of the sacrifice that took place here,” he said. “With the addition of the Emanuel Harman Farm to the Gettysburg National Military Park, we are able to include another important chapter to the story that helped shape our country.”
Photos: Gettysburg Battlefield/Photo: Ulises Jorge/Flickr, banner); Canon at Gettysburg, NPS (top).
|
| What Is LWCF, And Why Do We Need It? |
| The Land and Water Conservation Fund, or LWCF, is the primary federal program to conserve irreplaceable lands and improve outdoor recreation opportunities across America. Established in 1964, LWCF is paid for through a small percentage of revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling, rather than tax revenue. Congress determines LWCF’s budget annually and may decide this week how much to provide for 2011. For individuals and communities nationwide, full funding of the LWCF program would provide major benefits.
Why? When we save the places people love to visit, we generate revenue for local economies. Consider that:
- Outdoor recreation contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supports nearly 6.5 million jobs nationwide, according to the Outdoor Industry Foundation.
- Over 13 million Americans hunt and 33 million fish, collectively supporting over 900,000 American jobs.
- Every $1 of taxpayer money spent on national parks returns $4 in economic benefit through tourism and private sector spending, according to a 2009 study.
For conservation groups like ours, LWCF means that we can protect your favorite places before they become just a memory. Read more about what that means in this New York Times editorial, “Conserving A Conservation Fund.”
|
| |
|
Powered by: Phase2 Technology
