With rumors of possible changes in the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area and the National Park Service push ahead with the development of a management plan for the young Heritage Area.

A workshop was held on February 3 and was followed by an open house on February 4 at the Capitol Park Welcome Center. The goal was to solicit input from potential partners for the Heritage Area and the results were heartening. Several dozen people from State and Federal Agencies and non-governmental organizations showed up for the two workshop sessions and the open house to post ideas on flip charts and mark locations on Heritage Area maps. Each contribution represents a short range or long term idea for improvements to the environmental or cultural health of the area. Many involved public outreach and education that would increase awareness of the importance of and the challenges involved in conserving the valuable resources that we have been given.

The input collected during the two days, along with recent discussions with the Atchafalaya Trace Commission (the governing board of the Heritage Area) will be used to merge alternative approaches to the management of the Heritage Area, and the draft plan will be presented for additional public comment at meetings around the area in April 2010.

Watch for more information on the public meetings in the Spring.

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