National Park Service
Mission
The National Park Service supports communities in promoting local stewardship of the region’s natural and cultural heritage to strengthen a sense of place and local economies. NPS provides technical assistance and funding support for efforts in historic preservation, natural resource conservation, recreation, heritage tourism, and education.
Agency Initiatives
Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) preserves, protects, and interprets the historical, cultural, and recreational resources of the Champlain Valley. The CVNHP works with state and provincial governments, local communities, and non-profit organizations to improve the understanding and appreciation of this heritage and foster its stewardship. CVNHP partnerships and projects leverage greater investment for long-term preservation and promotion of cultural heritage as an integral part of sustainable economic development.
Learn more about the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program
The NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program supports community-led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects throughout the watershed. NPS recreational planning professionals provide technical assistance to community groups, nonprofits, tribes and state and local governments to design trails and parks, conserve and improve access to rivers, protect special places, and create recreational opportunities.
Learn more about the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program
Missisquoi & Trout National Wild and Scenic Rivers
Portions of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers were designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers in 2014, and recognized for their remarkable scenic, recreational, fish and wildlife, historic, and cultural values. The NPS worked closely with a local committee to craft a vision and plan to promote and protect this nationally-significant waterway. Wild and Scenic River designation brings recognition to a region and can boost the local economy through tourism and capacity-building for river stewardship through matching grants, volunteer assistance, and the NPS-supported River Community Grants Program.
Learn more about the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
North Country National Scenic Trail
Stretching 4,600 miles across eight states from North Dakota to Vermont, the North Country Trail (N.C.T.) is one of the longest National Scenic Trails in the National Trail System. The Trail traverses through more than 160 federal, state and local public lands. The N.C.T is administered by the National Park Service in coordination with various federal, state and local agencies, and maintained by volunteers of the North Country Trail Association and its partners. Work is currently underway to connect the N.C.T. to the Long Trail and Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Vermont. Learn more about the North Country National Scenic Trail
Current Projects
Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, International Year of the Salmon
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services collaborated with multiple partners to celebrate the International Year of the Salmon. Partners highlighted Lake Champlain’s natural heritage by telling the story of the outstanding bounty of salmon in Lake Champlain reported in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Programs focused on the demise of the Atlantic salmon, its successful reintroduction in 1972, and the current challenges of maintaining the species.
Learn more about the International Year of the Salmon
Other Federal Agencies Involved: USFWS, EPA
The Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program
This new national grant program supports initiatives that provide subgrants to rehabilitate historic properties and foster economic development of rural communities. In 2019, The Preservation Trust of Vermont received $747,000 in the first inaugural grant award for the new program and since then have awarded subgrants to seven community projects throughout the state.
Learn more about historic preservation grants