Connecting Stories,

Landscapes, and People: 

Exploring the Delaware &

Lehigh National Heritage

Corridor Partnership

A Technical Assistance Project for the 

Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor 

Commission and the Delaware & Lehigh National 

Heritage Corridor, Inc.

Executive Summary

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Conservation Study Institute

Northeast Region
This report is the ninth in the Conservation and Stewardship Publication

Series produced by the Conservation Study Institute. This series includes a

variety of publications designed to provide information on conservation

history and current practice for professionals and the public. The series

editor is Nora J. Mitchell, director of the Institute.

The Conservation Study Institute was established by the National Park

Service in 1998 to enhance leadership in the field of conservation. A

partnership with academic, government, and nonprofit organizations, the

Institute helps the National Park Service and its partners stay in touch with

the evolving field of conservation and to develop more sophisticated

partnerships, new tools for community engagement, and new strategies for

the 21st century. The Institute is based at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller

National Historical Park within the Northeast Region of the National Park

Service.

We encourage you to share the information in this report, and request only

that you give appropriate citations and bibliographic credits. 

Recommended citation: Copping, Suzanne E., Philip B. Huffman, Daniel N.

Laven, Nora J. Mitchell, and Jacquelyn L. Tuxill. Connecting Stories,

Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage

Corridor. Sustainability Study Report. A Technical Assistance Project for the

Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission and the

Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc. Woodstock, VT:

Conservation Study Institute, 2006.

For additional copies, contact:

Conservation Study Institute

54 Elm Street

Woodstock, VT 05091

Tel: (802) 457-3368 / Fax: (802) 457-3405

www.nps.gov/csi

Publications in the Conservation and Stewardship Publication Series:

No. 1 – Landscape Conservation: An International Working Session on the

Stewardship of Protected Landscapes, 2001

No. 2 – International Concepts in Protected Landscapes: Exploring Their

Values for Communities in the Northeast, 2001

No. 3 – Collaboration and Conservation: Lessons Learned in Areas Managed

through National Park Service Partnerships, 2001

No. 4 – Speaking of the Future: A Dialogue on Conservation, 2003

No. 5 – A Handbook for Managers of Cultural Landscapes with Natural

Resource Values, 2003 (web-based)

No. 6 – Collaboration and Conservation: Lessons Learned from National Park

Service Partnership Areas in the Western United States, 2004

No. 7 – Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future: Sustainability Study

Report. A Technical Assistance Report to the John H. Chafee Blackstone River

Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission, 2005

No. 8 – Keeping National Parks Relevant in the 21st Century, 2006 

All publications are available in PDF format at www.nps.gov/csi

Local partners sustain stretches of

picturesque canal towpath and trail.
Connecting Stories, 

Landscapes, and People: 

Exploring the Delaware & 

Lehigh National Heritage 

Corridor Partnership

Sustainability Study

Executive Summary

A Technical Assistance Project for the 

Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission

and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc.

Conducted by the

Conservation Study Institute

Northeast Region

National Park Service

Partially funded by the 

Pennsylvania Department of 

Conservation and Natural Resources

CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP PUBLICATION NO. 9

Suzanne E. Copping, Philip B. Huffman, Daniel N. Laven, 

Nora J. Mitchell, and Jacquelyn L. Tuxill

Published by the Conservation Study Institute

Woodstock, Vermont

2006

I. Background and Context for

the Sustainability Study 4

II. Accomplishments and Leverage

in the D&L Corridor 5

III. Strengths and Challenges of

the D&L Partnership System 8

IV. Critical Ingredients for

Sustaining the D&L Partnership

System 11

V. Options and Opportunities for

the Corridor’s Future 13

VI.Closing Thoughts 16

Contents

Many Corridor communities exhibit

pedestrian friendly amenities that

respect local history.
Congress established the Delaware & Lehigh

National Heritage Corridor (Corridor) in 1988 as

the nation’s third national heritage area.1 In 1993

the Corridor was also designated a state heritage

park. Located in eastern Pennsylvania between

Wilkes-Barre and Bristol along 165 miles of

rivers, canals, and railroads, the Corridor

conserves the historic transportation system—

and the stories of the people and communities—

that brought anthracite coal from the mines to

the markets in the nineteenth and early twentieth

centuries. The authorizing legislation also

established the Delaware & Lehigh National

Heritage Corridor Commission (Commission) 

to assist state and local authorities in preserving

and interpreting the Corridor’s historic and

cultural resources and in fostering compatible

economic development. The Commission’s

authority is due to expire in November 2007. 

The national heritage corridor designation is

permanent.

In 2005, the Commission initiated the Delaware

& Lehigh (D&L) Sustainability Study to evaluate

the past 17 years of work and help inform its

decisions regarding the Corridor’s future. The

Commission asked the National Park Service

Conservation Study Institute (Institute) to

provide technical assistance by conducting the

study, and identified four points that the study

should address:

• Evaluate progress toward accomplishing the

purposes of the Corridor’s authorizing

legislation and the strategies set forth in the

Corridor’s Management Action Plan of 1993.

• Identify additional actions and work needed

to protect, enhance, and interpret the

Corridor and its nationally significant

resources.

• Analyze the National Park Service (NPS) and

Pennsylvania Heritage Park Program (PHPP)

investments to determine the leverage and

impacts of these investments.

• Examine models, options, and opportunities

to enhance state and local partnerships and to

continue the NPS relationship, including the

possibility of a permanent NPS designation or

a new framework to support the work of the

Corridor initiative.

I. Background and Context for the

Sustainability Study

1 Public Law 100-692.

4 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

The towpath and canal remnants

make a great outdoor classroom for

the study of local history and ecology.
The Institute’s project team gathered background

information from various written sources—

including the Corridor management plan, annual

reports, and management documents—on the 

current management framework, the accomplishments and progress of the Corridor partnership, and the structure and operations of the

partner network. The team used a variety of

participatory techniques, including confidential

interviews, meetings, conversations, and focus

groups, to engage and gather insights from key

individuals. These included commissioners,

board members of the Commission’s nonprofit

operating partner Delaware & Lehigh National

Heritage Corridor, Inc. (D&L, Inc.), D&L staff,

Corridor partners, individuals who played

important roles in the Corridor’s formation, and

people with expertise in heritage areas and

partnerships. After analyzing information from

the different components of the study, the team

identified critical ingredients for the future of the

Corridor’s partnership system, and options and

opportunities for sustaining and enhancing the

partnership system.

Heritage areas are an important direction in conservation, as demonstrated by the growing interest across the United States. In 2004, with 27 congressionally designated heritage areas and many

proposals for additional designations, National Park Service Director Fran Mainella asked the

National Park System Advisory Board to examine the future of national heritage areas and their

relationship to the National Park Service. The board, composed of 13 citizens with various kinds

of expertise and a commitment to the mission of the National Park Service, has the statutory

responsibility to advise the NPS director and the secretary of the interior on policy and program

matters. After a year of deliberations, the board’s Partnerships Committee reported its findings

and recommendations. They recommended, among other things, establishing a legislative foundation for a system of national heritage areas within the National Park Service and instituting a

policy requiring a study three years prior to the cessation of federal funding authorization to

make recommendations regarding future NPS involvement.2 The D&L Sustainability Study and a

similar study completed a year ago by the Conservation Study Institute for the John H. Chafee

Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission offer a model for how such

studies might be conducted.

II. Accomplishments and Leverage in the

D&L Corridor

A. Progress and Accomplishments of the

Corridor Partnership

The D&L Management Action Plan of 1993

outlines 175 actions to be addressed by the

Corridor partnership. In assessing progress and

accomplishments, the project team found that

the Corridor partnership has addressed 145 (or

83 percent) of these actions. Geographically, the

D&L partnership has spread its efforts evenly

across the Corridor. More than half of the 145

actions undertaken are Corridor-wide in scope.

Even though implementing Corridor-wide

actions is challenging, the D&L partnership has

addressed 92 percent of these regional-scale

actions in some way. The team rated the 175

actions according to their level of completion3

and found that 67 of the actions addressed are

“ongoing” (e.g., implementing the Corridor-wide

interpretive plan will continue indefinitely).

More than a third of the actions undertaken 

National Park Service Conservation Study Institute 5

National Context for the D&L Sustainability Study

2 The advisory board’s report, Charting a Future for the National Heritage Areas, is currently in publication and will be available at

http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas in early summer 2006.

3 Actions were rated “completed,” “ongoing” (i.e., actions that have no anticipated completion date), “underway” (i.e., actions that

have a proposed completion date or product), or “no activity.”
focus on interpretation, of which a third have

been completed, and only a few remain to be

addressed. Of the 53 conservation actions in the

management plan, 5 have been completed and 37

are in various stages of completion. 

With most of the 130 current projects initiated

since 1999, staff capacity has expanded and

responsibilities have changed over time. An

analysis of selected programs (see box of

program highlights) shows that D&L staffers

work in a variety of capacities with partners.

Many projects encourage partners to value their

heritage resources as regional economic and

recreational amenities with the power to connect

residents to their history. Communities that

become involved in D&L activities seem to

develop a greater awareness of the regional

context of local actions and understand how

their success contributes to regional well-being.

The Commission and D&L, Inc., consistently

play an important role in promoting a broad,

Corridor-wide vision and keeping individual

projects aligned with that vision.

6 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

Visually and Graphically Speaking, a graphic identity and interpretation system, provides design and production guidelines for

interpretive panels, directional signs, publications, and brochures. The system establishes a Corridor “look” and helps visitors and residents navigate the region and appreciate the natural, cultural, and historic resources. System components have been implemented in

hundreds of locations by D&L staff and partners and incorporated into other projects including the D&L Trail and visitor center exhibits. 

The Corridor Market Towns program provides technical assistance and mini-grants for visioning, planning, training, façade

improvement, and marketing activities to help preserve the character of canal towns that have struggled to sustain economic development efforts. Initiated in 2002 with a $160,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, this program has led to a net gain

of 33 businesses, 279 individual improvement projects, and 137 facade renovation projects in the six pilot communities. 

Two Rivers Landing in Easton houses the Binney & Smith Crayola Discovery Center, National Canal Museum, and Easton Visitor

Center, which interprets the D&L Corridor. Opened in 1996 and now hosting 300,000 visitors annually, this public-private revitalization

partnership has boosted Corridor visibility and led to an economic rebirth in Easton. The project cost $9 million in state, municipal,

and private funds, and in its first five years produced a net gain of 43 businesses and 2,000 new full-time jobs locally and doubled

canal boat ridership at nearby Hugh Moore Park. 

Launched in 2000, the Municipal Assistance for Conservation program has granted up to $5,000 each to six municipalities for

consensus-building exercises to help address contentious planning issues related to Corridor conservation and preservation goals.

With D&L staff facilitation early on, municipalities have assumed leadership for project implementation, which demonstrates a shift in

the staff’s role toward project facilitation and mentoring. The Borough of New Hope, the first grant recipient, transformed a canalside public works storage area into an ecologically sensitive, user-friendly, award-winning parking lot that links the downtown to the

canal, creating an anchor for new trail and interpretation projects.

The 165-mile D&L Trail, the physical “spine” of the Corridor, traces the historic transportation routes and connects the region via a

network of canals and towpaths, rails-to-trails conversions, spur trails, and a water trail. Project actions have included acquisition and

planning of trail segments, technical assistance and grants to partners for wayfinding and interpretive signs, and events to promote

the trail and its history. The D&L Trail is now 98 percent publicly accessible, despite the fact that dozens of private and public entities

own different portions. Since 1998. the 5,000 Trail Tenders volunteers have contributed 30,000 hours to help maintain the trail. 

The Lehigh Gap Wildlife Refuge reclamation project, implemented by the Wildlife Information Center, aims to restore a 700-acre

Superfund site along the Kittatinny Ridge, a migratory route for raptors and songbirds. D&L staff provided the center with the connections, expertise, and backing for success in land acquisition and funding. D&L staff also led design of the master site plan, which

includes education and research; interpretation of the region’s industrial history, environmental degradation, and rebirth; and establishment of a 15-mile trail network with a two-mile spur connection to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 

Highlights of Selected Corridor Projects 
B. Leveraging Public Investments

Since its establishment, the Commission has documented the funding received for Corridor-facilitated projects (see figure 1). Through fiscal year

2005, the total federal investment of $8.02

million provided through the National Park

Service has leveraged nearly 12 times its value in

direct funding from other sources. State funding

totaling $6.59 million through the Pennsylvania

Heritage Parks Program has leveraged more than

14 times its value. As a whole, Pennsylvania state

agencies have supplied more than 35 percent of

the funding invested in Corridor projects. These

figures reflect funding for projects in which the

D&L Commission had a direct investment

and/or a leadership role. Not included are state,

federal, and other investments in the region in

which Corridor management has been integrally

involved but has not played a leadership role. For

example, the $9-million Two Rivers Landing

project in Easton is included, but related projects

(e.g., the Easton public square, adjacent public

buildings) totaling $7 million are not. In addition,

the Corridor initiative leverages much more than

just funding. Non-financial leverage includes

partner in-kind support and staff time, new projects and activities that have been catalyzed by

Corridor programs, and significant volunteer

time (e.g., the Trail Tenders’ contribution of

30,000 volunteer hours since 1998).

$29,450,550 

Other State

29.1%

$7,561,675 

NPS Heritage Partnership

Programs 

7.5%

$6,586,114 

Pennsylvania Heritage

Parks Program 

6.5%

$14,641,497 

Private

14.5%

$10,975,711 

Local Government

10.8%

$462,000 

NPS Construction

0.5%

$31,520,526 

Other Federal

31.1%

Figure 1: D&L National Heritage Corridor partnership funding, FY 1989 through FY 2005

(totaling $101,198,073)

National Park Service Conservation Study Institute 7

Stone locktender’s house, mule barn,

and path converge in Freemansburg.
8 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

The strengths of the D&L partnership system are

presented below from the perspectives of both

Corridor management and partners, followed by

a discussion of challenges that integrates the two

perspectives. The management perspective draws

on meetings and conversations with commissioners, D&L, Inc., board members, and

Corridor staff, and two focus group dialogues on

management. The partner perspective derives

primarily from confidential interviews that were

conducted with 30 partners. 

A. Strengths of the Current System: The

Management Perspective 

A fundamental strength of the D&L partnership

system lies in the breadth of the Corridor

mission—integrating conservation, preservation,

interpretation, recreation, and economic revitalization, with a community-based focus that

emphasizes the importance of the Corridor’s

heritage story. This broad mandate, established

by Congress in the authorizing legislation, helps

to ensure the relevancy of Corridor programs

and provides a “big tent” for collaboration and

for building partnerships. 

Forming D&L, Inc., as a nonprofit operating

partner with the Commission has provided the

Corridor with the strengths and benefits of both

entities. The Commission’s federal standing provides stature, clout, credibility, and leverage,

while D&L, Inc., provides flexibility with respect

to board composition, additional fundraising

capacity, staffing, and longevity without the

specter of a sunset. Together the two entities

provide more opportunities for the direct

involvement of diverse stakeholders in the management structure, and the consistent strength of

their memberships has been a factor in the

Corridor initiative’s success. In addition, the sustained participation by key individuals (commissioners, board members, and staff) has provided

continuity and institutional knowledge, with

benefits for partnership building and leveraging.

The connections with the primary state and

federal partners—the Pennsylvania Department

of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)

and the National Park Service—have provided

critical anchors for the Corridor initiative.4

Support from the DCNR has been strong and

consistent, both in funding and working relationships. Affiliation with the NPS has provided

credibility, branding, technical expertise, and

capacity for Corridor operations, although NPS

support and working relationships have varied

over time. Federal and state funds have been

especially significant for leveraging other

support, both financial and non-financial, and

the D&L staff has grown very adept at capitalizing on these leverage opportunities. Indeed, the

staff’s ability to navigate this highly complex,

dynamic partnership system, and to integrate

state and federal initiatives with the needs of

other partners, is one of the initiative’s greatest

current strengths.

B. Strengths of the Current System: The

Partner Perspective

Partners recognize that the Corridor’s heritage

and story can play an important role in community revitalization, fostering a sense of pride 

in place and providing the common ground

essential to community-based efforts. They

appreciate that Corridor staff and programs

connect the story with local resources. The

Corridor story and activities encourage

collaboration by providing an integrated

perspective. Because Corridor goals reflect

thematic interests, partnerships can transcend

governmental sectors and cross political and

administrative boundaries. In this way, the

concept of heritage creates a platform for

engaging people and communities Corridorwide in ways that directly influence and support local efforts to revitalize the region. 

Partners note that working on Corridor projects has broadened their perspectives and their

willingness to work in partnerships across

multiple interests. This suggests that over time

these collaborative relationships may alter the

way organizations and community leaders think

about the future of the D&L region. Partners 

also note that the D&L initiative has empowered them to think more boldly. For smaller

organizations, it has provided an opportunity to

connect their efforts with broader Corridor 

goals and initiatives. As levels of trust increase,

relationships that were initially project-focused 

III. Strengths and Challenges of the D&L

Partnership System

4 The Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs played a similar anchoring role in the Corridor’s formative years prior to the

establishment of DCNR in 1995.
National Park Service Conservation Study Institute 9

often evolve into long-term strategic connections

that integrate local goals into the broader regionwide vision. The overall result is greater alignment of efforts. 

Perhaps most importantly, D&L staff help

partners make sense of a complex sea of state,

federal, nonprofit, and private entities. These

study findings suggest that working successfully

in dynamic, multi-dimensional partnership

environments requires a special kind of organizational culture and leadership philosophy.

Partners emphasize that Corridor management

creates opportunities for integrating the programs and priorities of key state and federal

agencies with municipal and community needs.

Management’s ability to work between the

various levels of government enables communities to play meaningful roles in the partnership

system. A major factor in this ability, according 

to numerous partners, is that the Corridor

initiative is not identified with any particular

political agenda.

C. Challenges of the Current System

The D&L partnership system is complex and

dynamic, so it is not surprising to find challenges

in the current system that have implications for

the future. For example, the Commission’s frustrations in dealing with the federal bureaucracy

(including cumbersome federal appointment

and financial management processes) led it to

create D&L, Inc., as a nonprofit operating partner and a potential management back-up or

replacement for the Commission. Also, some

aspects of working with the NPS and other

federal and state agencies have been challenging

at times for Corridor participants, and there is a

sense of unfulfilled opportunities in some cases.

The continuing uncertainty regarding state and

federal funding, both of which are critical for

operations and project support and for leveraging resources, creates a challenge to the ongoing

ability of Corridor management to plan and

carry out programs.

Quiet waters flow where industry

once churned, enhancing quality of

life in the 21st century.
10 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

Multiple recreational opportunities

attract visitors to Hugh Moore Park

in Easton.

As Corridor programs grow and evolve there is

an ongoing need to build the capacity of partners

to help shoulder the workload, and to foster

strategic partnerships to avoid duplication of

efforts and competition for funding. Another

ongoing challenge involves effectively interpreting a complex story on a regional scale. It is critical, both for building public understanding about

regional heritage and for maintaining a vibrant

partner network, to tell the story in a way that is

compelling, links local resources and communities, and illuminates how local stories connect

with the regional story. Corridor size and geography contribute to this challenge, as do the many

local jurisdictions. While Corridor management

and partners have done a good job of building

local understanding and appreciation of the

Corridor story, understanding of the breadth and

interconnectedness of the regional story is sometimes lacking. 
National Park Service Conservation Study Institute 11

IV. Critical Ingredients for Sustaining the D&L

Partnership System

The project team identified ingredients that are

critical to sustaining and enhancing the D&L

partnership system through its analysis of the

different study components. These ingredients,

a diverse array of inputs and processes, interact

with and support each other to make possible

the Corridor initiative’s accomplishments and

outcomes. Although most of the critical ingredients are already in place, not all are fully realized

(e.g., secure, sustainable funding). The ingredients are divided into four categories: structuring,

guiding, and cultivating the partnership system,

and time-related considerations. 

The critical ingredients for structuring the partnership system include the anchoring state and

federal government connections provided by the

DCNR and the NPS. Other state and federal

agencies also play vital roles in project implementation. Working in tandem with these agencies is an effective management entity that is

charged with “stewarding” the Corridor vision.

The management entity must have a strong,

diverse composition, provide balanced stakeholder

representation, and be perceived as nonpartisan

and even-handed, possessing clout and credibility,

and inspiring respect. Another key ingredient is

the network of partners who must have sufficient

capacity to carry out projects and take on leadership roles over time. Other vital structural ingredients include secure, stable funding from diverse

sources and the ability to leverage funds, resources,

and ideas.

Critical to guiding the partnership system is a

broad, integrated vision that provides an overarching framework for broad-based collaboration. Reinforcing the vision is a management plan

that supports Corridor goals and is relevant to

community and stakeholder concerns. The

region’s shared heritage acts as an organizing

concept and provides a common platform for

project action. Tied to the notion of heritage is

the compelling regional story that connects local

resources, links people and communities, and

provides a further basis for collaboration. Also

important are Corridor goals and boundaries that

reflect thematic rather than political interests,

which allows the Corridor to be relevant to

diverse partners and facilitates bringing the necessary players together. The vision and leadership

provided by the Commission, board, and staff

help to create a partnership culture that values

collaboration. A number of key leadership characteristics are also necessary, including creativity

and “outside the box” thinking, entrepreneurialism and a willingness to take risks, patience,

integrity, and mentoring and collaborative leadership skills. 

Vital to cultivating the partnership system are

collaborative processes that continually enhance

and reinvigorate the system. These include meaningful community engagement, continually telling

the story and promoting the vision in ways that

connect people and communities throughout the

Corridor, and responsiveness to local needs and priorities. Operating with an open, inclusive, collaborative approach is essential. This involves effective

listening and communication; sincerity, honesty,

respect, patience, and trust; shared responsibility

and transparent and flexible operations; and a

willingness to try new approaches. Over time,

with good collaborative processes, partner organizations redefine their goals and ways of working

to achieve alignment with the Corridor vision and

goals. Finally, a commitment to learning and to

implementing the learning helps to hone the

dynamic partnership system as it evolves.

Time-related considerations are also important,

but time operates in a different way from the

other essential ingredients. It takes time for a

system as complex as the D&L partnership to

evolve and mature. It takes time to assemble a

strong, sustainable system because partner

capacity varies and partner relationships rely

upon effective communication and trust, which

build over time. With an ambitious agenda, there

is of necessity a strategic sequencing to projects,

with early projects catalyzing or setting the stage

for later projects. As the system matures, there is

a need for increasing specialization, technical

expertise, and capacity building (of D&L staff

and partners) in order to sustain momentum.

The relationship between partners and Corridor

management can change as partners are able to

take on more leadership responsibility, which

can further strengthen the system. 
12 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

Historic suspension bridges link

communities and trails.
National Park Service Conservation Study Institute 13

5 If D&L, Inc., is authorized as the management entity, attention should be given to the authorities and requirements to be transferred

from the Commission to D&L, Inc. (e.g., the authority to receive and disburse federal funds, and the requirement in the Corridor’s

original authorizing legislation that federal entities must consult and cooperate with the Commission regarding any activities affecting

the purposes of the Corridor).

6 See previous footnote.

7 See footnote 5. 

Based on the analysis of strengths and challenges

and the critical ingredients for sustained success,

the study team identified options and opportunities for the future. The team is not recommending any specific option or combination of

options, but is presenting a range of possibilities

for the Commission and D&L, Inc., to consider

as they make decisions for the future. First

discussed are the management options, which

fall into three categories: the management entity;

state, county, and municipal government

involvement, with leadership by the DCNR; and

National Park Service involvement. Together,

these categories encompass the primary anchoring connections that are essential to success.

Because of their mutual importance, a combination of options from different categories may

ultimately best meet the Corridor’s needs. A

discussion of other options and opportunities

follows the sections below on management

options.

A. Management Entity

With the Commission’s federal authorization

due to expire in 2007, there are five options to

consider. The first four options would involve

federal legislation, presumably accompanied by

reauthorization of federal funding for Corridor

operations and programs.

Option A.1: Reauthorize the Commission as

the management entity, continuing the current

operating partnership between the Commission

and D&L, Inc. This would sustain the Commission’s credibility and clout, D&L, Inc.’s flexibility

for revenue generation, and their combined

stakeholder representation. However, it would

perpetuate the challenges associated with the

federal appointments process and having the

two organizations operating in parallel.

Option A.2: Shift to D&L, Inc., only, authorizing

it as the federal management entity to replace the

Commission. This would reduce administrative

and bureaucratic hurdles and simplify the management structure. At the same time, it would

also reduce opportunities for direct stakeholder

representation, and other Corridor nonprofits

may view D&L, Inc., as a competitor for funding

and programming. Some Corridor participants

have expressed concern over loss of stature and

clout with this option.5 

Option A.3: Shift to D&L, Inc., and create a

new legislatively established partnership committee to replace the Commission. The primary

functions of the new body would be to (a)

sustain a legislated mechanism for involving key

D&L stakeholders, (b) provide sustained federal

stature and clout, and (c) advise and support

D&L, Inc., as the new management entity. The

new federal body would be subject to the federal

appointment process, but the impact would be

lessened since it would have no management and

financial responsibilities.6

Option A.4: Shift to D&L, Inc., and create a

new advisory council through administrative

action, which would avoid the difficulties

associated with federal commissions and

advisory bodies. D&L, Inc., would be authorized

as the Corridor’s federal management entity, and

its board could create the advisory council to

provide for broader stakeholder representation.7

Option A.5: Move forward without a federally

authorized management entity and dedicated

federal funding, which would leave a substantial

void for operations, project support, and

leveraging ability. The national heritage corridor

designation would remain, and the state’s

heritage park designation and support would not

necessarily change. D&L, Inc., individual

organizations, and partner networks would

continue working toward Corridor goals, but this

option would be a significant setback to the

initiative.

B. State, County, and Municipal

Government Involvement, with

Leadership by the DCNR

Much of the Corridor initiative’s success is due

to the substantial involvement and support of

state agencies and local governments. The 

V. Options and Opportunities for the

Corridor’s Future
14 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

DCNR in particular has provided an essential

anchoring connection. The two options below

would further cement the participation of these

key partners and offer opportunities to advance

recently announced statewide initiatives,

including “Shaping a Sustainable Pennsylvania:

DCNR’s Blueprint for Action” and the

governor’s “Keystone Principles for Growth,

Investment, and Resource Conservation.” 

Option B.1: Establish an intergovernmental

partnership agreement for the Corridor, either

through administrative action or state legislation,

to identify ongoing roles and responsibilities for

state, county, and local government in the

Corridor initiative. The DCNR’s responsibility

for the Pennsylvania Heritage Parks Program and

landscape conservation projects statewide and

its key anchoring role in the Corridor position it

well to lead this option. DCNR leadership would

be important to secure the involvement of others

and ensure the overall effectiveness of the

agreement.8

Option B.2: Establish a formal agreement or

compact for management and maintenance of

the “spine,” identifying responsibilities to be

assumed by the state, the counties, and relevant

municipalities. This agreement or compact could

be authorized in conjunction with a new state

designation focused on the spine that would

reflect the unique partnership arrangement for

ownership and management (for instance, a

“state partnership park”). 

C. National Park Service Involvement

Many Corridor participants see value in a

sustained affiliation with the National Park

Service for the credibility, branding, and

technical expertise that the NPS can offer, and

believe this is justified by the D&L’s national

significance as confirmed by its 1988 designation.

The first four options below could be achieved

administratively, while the fifth would require

legislation. 

Option C.1: Use available tools more broadly

to convey the NPS affiliation and brand and

broaden awareness of the Corridor’s connection

to the National Park System. National heritage

areas can use NPS public information tools to

help convey an area’s significance to visitors,

heighten local pride, and stimulate increased

visitation. Although the D&L initiative has made

some use of these tools, it could use the NPS 

arrowhead logo on D&L materials, develop a

D&L brochure using the well-recognized NPS

format, and create more linkages between D&Lspecific websites and the NPS heritage area

website (http://www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas/).

Option C.2: Seek a stronger, more consistent

relationship with the NPS Northeast Region,

which has been the D&L initiative’s primary link

with the NPS. The existing cooperative

agreement between the D&L initiative and the

Northeast Region provides a platform for

advancing the relationship. Possible additional

steps include: (a) regular annual meetings of

Corridor and NPS Northeast Region leaders; (b)

a sustained annual commitment by the region to

provide technical assistance to specified Corridor

programs; (c) staff exchanges to foster mutual

understanding; (d) establishment of a dedicated

NPS “circuit rider” for the Corridor; and (e)

collaborative exploration of opportunities to

draw on the experience of Corridor participants.

Option C.3: Seek stronger relationships with

nearby NPS units, which could lead to broader

awareness of the Corridor’s NPS connection,

and further Corridor goals and the NPS mission.

Option C.4: Pursue renewed NPS interpretive

support, which could help advance the Corridor

initiative by providing (a) greater Corridor-wide

interpretive cohesion through assistance to

partners associated with the D&L story, and/or

(b) an on-the-ground, uniformed NPS

interpretive presence in the Corridor. 

Option C.5: Seek congressional authorization

of a “special resource study” to explore

potential permanent NPS involvement and

additional federal designations, which the NPS

would conduct in collaboration with the D&L

initiative through an open, participatory, public

process. If upon completion of the study a

permanent NPS presence or further designation

is deemed appropriate and desirable, further

legislation would be required. While the study

would examine the specifics of potential NPS

involvement, the general emphasis would be to

explore a partnership approach that may not

involve direct NPS ownership and management. 

8 While this agreement as described is oriented toward state and local participation, it could be expanded to include relevant federal

agencies (e.g., NPS, Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Army Corps of Engineers), which

could benefit the Corridor initiative over time.
National Park Service Conservation Study Institute 15

The Lehigh River flows along the

western boundary of Hickory Run

State Park.

D. Other Options and Opportunities

The study team identified a number of other

options for Corridor management to consider,

related to investment by the management entity,

partnerships, operations, and funding and other

forms of support. These include undertaking a

new strategic plan to help guide future investment of staff and funding, using the Corridor’s

heritage in a way that binds the Corridor together more effectively, placing greater emphasis on

public relations and marketing, and emphasizing

the Corridor initiative as a driver in economic

and community

revitalization. Options that relate to the partner

network include initiating a strategic assessment

of Corridor partnerships, building partner capacity, and considering opportunities for increased

stakeholder representation and involvement.

Options that relate to Corridor management

include increasing staff capacity and stakeholder

representation and involvement, and exploring

new funding opportunities through existing

authorities and projects. These and other options

are explored in more detail in the full report.
16 Connecting Stories, Landscapes, and People: Exploring the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Partnership Executive Summary

There’s no shortage of bucolic sights

along the Delaware Canal.

VI. Closing Thoughts

By effectively using a collaborative, public-private

approach to landscape conservation, the D&L

initiative has become a model within and outside

the region and has contributed to the evolution

of heritage area programs at the state and federal

levels. The involvement of local leaders and the

long-standing commitments by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and federal government

have enabled the D&L partnership to mature

and prosper. The partnership has built a diverse

network of partners and has made considerable

progress in addressing the mandate articulated in

its management plan, yet considerable work

remains. As D&L management deliberates the

future of the Corridor, it will need to consider

how best to reinforce the partnership system and 

employ it most effectively. A key consideration is

how to secure the vital anchoring connections

provided by the DCNR and the NPS. The everchanging array of partners and shifts in priorities

and relationships will test the strength of the

partnership system and challenge D&L management to guide the system with flexibility and

creativity. The dynamic nature of the partnership

highlights the need for continued organizational

learning and adaptive management. In the end,

developing a deeper understanding of the D&L

partnership’s network-based approach is

important to the future of this heritage area, and

it will also inform the developing practice of

conserving lived-in landscapes far beyond the

D&L Corridor’s boundaries. 

Northeast Region

National Park Service 

U.S. Custom House

200 Chestnut St., 5th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215-597-7385

www.nps.gov/phso/

Conservation Study Institute

54 Elm Street

Woodstock, VT 05091

802-457-3368

www.nps.gov/csi/

Pennsylvania Heritage Parks Program 

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 

Bureau of Recreation and Conservation 

Rachel Carson State Office Building 

P.O. Box 8475 

Harrisburg, PA 17105 

717-783-0988 

www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/heritageparks/ 

Delaware & Lehigh 

National Heritage Corridor

1 South Third Street

8th Floor

Easton, PA 18042

610-923-3548

www.delawareandlehigh.org

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior