Introduction

As part of the Countryside Exchange, an international team of professionals visited the Western Champlain Valley from October 22nd through 29th, 1999. They addressed four key questions generated by residents of the area.

During its stay, the Exchange team met with citizens, political leaders and a myriad of organizations concerned with promoting tourism, related economic development and enhancing quality of life. Roundtables, discussions and tours attracted a range of participants. The team listened carefully to many ideas and points of view and read numerous reports and studies highlighting current and previous initiatives.

The team presented its observations and recommendations at a community meeting on the evening of Thursday, October 29th, and distributed a two-page summary of their ideas. The following is the team’s full report.

Tourism

Observations:

The term ‘quality of life’ means more than just a healthy economy. It includes the area’s natural and cultural ambiance, people and community spirit, and the range of available opportunities Ð jobs, education, arts and culture, recreation and health systems etc. Throughout the Exchange week, the team heard many individuals and groups define quality of life quite strongly in terms of minimizing the pollution and physical degradation of the environment. Like other places, the Champlain Valley will have its own limit in terms of how many visitors it can accommodate without compromising the quality of life of current and future residents.

Not everyone agrees that tourism can provide a foundation for economic revival, especially when it is developed with regard to the sustainability of built and natural environments. Also, some feel that many tourism-related jobs are not ‘proper’ jobs. It is true that the tourist season is short in the Western Champlain Valley. It peaks in the summer and dips in the winter. This unstable pattern of economic activity leads to less than optimal job opportunities for residents and tourist services for visitors. However, there are ways to extend the tourist season and develop related business opportunities. For details on the latter please see the section on Economic Development in this report.

The area’s tourism identity is not clear. Identity is important because it plays a key role in successful tourism marketing. Currently, the Exchange area does not stand out in relation to either the Adirondack Park or Lake Champlain. There has been a stronger inclination to market the area in terms of its geographical relationship with the Adirondack Park. However, Essex County’s identity appears to be more central to the Lake Champlain corridor than to the Adirondack Park. Developing an identity in connection with Lake Champlain is challenged by the fact that the Lake is not recognized as an identity in its own right. Is it the center of the Adirondack region or the center of the Champlain Valley?

The Lake is also often perceived as a barrier to communication and interaction between and among communities, contrasting with its historic role as a transportation link between communities. The Lake’s rich heritage began with its use by the Native Americans, then as a focus for conflict and later as a major artery of commerce. It is not easy, however, for residents or visitors to appreciate and understand this history, as so much of the remaining evidence is available only to divers and archaeologists. As recreational use develops further, it will probably become even harder to see evidence of earlier activity.

Other approaches to identity building are evident too – including pioneering history and industrial archaeology. The latter, in particular mining heritage, could play a key role. There has been some excellent work at Ironville and Port Henry to capitalize on industrial heritage, however, there is still much unexplored potential. The fact that many industries closed within living memory means that some of the associated personal, social and economic scars have not yet healed. The need for economic revival and to feel pride in the past is all the more reason to concentrate on this opportunity.

There was a strong sentiment expressed during the Exchange week that any new tourism development should rely on bicycle, bus, boat or train as the primary means of access rather than the car. Currently, both residents and visitors are very automobile dependent. This reflects a western cultural trait, dispersed settlement patterns and lack of alternative transportation. The linear nature of the Western Champlain Valley provides a good opportunity for the development of hiking and cycling trails of variable lengths linked with railway and water transportation routes.

Town centers can be a key element of an area’s tourism product. In the Western Champlain Valley, some town centers are only “partly living” and are have a patchwork of economic viability and habitable buildings. Keeseville and Port Henry in particular have significant numbers of deteriorating empty buildings. This is not uncommon in small towns on both sides of the Atlantic as they try to find ways to remain viable as economies shift and evolve. At the same time, there is evidence of a related problem in Essex Township – creeping development and gentrification. The township’s close link with Vermont is leading to rising real estate prices and over-investment, which in turn is threatening to suburbanize the town.

Port Henry shows perhaps the greatest evidence of physical deterioration. It contains many fine industrial and residential buildings that will lose their individual and collective character if solutions are not found soon. While there are some good examples of conservation, such as the Lee House and the Iron Center, the whole town center merits designation as an historic district. This in turn could unlock additional funding sources. Historic designation is sometimes greeted by local skepticism and concern about what are perceived as overly ambitious development controls. Actually, there is considerable evidence that heritage can earn its keep while maintaining an acceptable level of local control.

Recommendations:

General

• Emphasize the quality of tourism development in all areas rather than trying to maximize statistics such as numbers of visitors.

• Expand the identity of Essex County as central to the Lake Champlain corridor rather than marginal to the Adirondacks. Create and develop themes connected to the Lake such as industrial heritage and the history of America’s political development. Once the area’s niche has been created, join with others in the broader region to produce promotional materials

• Design a logo that brands the area’s identity and reinforces the its unique sense of place. Use the logo on all signage, interpretive and marketing materials.

• Consider introducing tourism awards to celebrate success and increase the profile of tourism locally. This has worked in places as diverse as Nairn, Scotland, and Newfoundland, Canada.

• Research and publicize the benefits of tourism development. This might include, for example, the economic impacts of tourism in local communities. A professionally conducted survey could be used to generate statistics rather than relying on anecdotal data. Make extensive use of local media to get this information out to residents.

Extending the Tourist Season

• Hold special events and festivals, particularly those that are not heavily weather dependent, on the ‘shoulders’ of the current tourist season. They should be held throughout Essex County and the Champlain Valley in order to spread the economic benefits and limit the physical impacts on any given area. Events and festivals could be developed around various natural and cultural heritage themes such as food or music indigenous to the region.

• Develop a concerted campaign to persuade visitor facilities of all kinds to stay open a little longer each year. There is some movement in this direction, but there needs to be significantly more. The buy-in and participation of local business owners can be encouraged through promotional and other rewards. For example, businesses that stay open for a certain seasonal period with regular hours could be listed in regional tourism publications and allowed to use a regional tourism logo in their marketing efforts.

• Concentrate on the development of attractions that are not highly weather dependent to complement outdoor activities.

• Take advantage of the growing market for outdoor and sports enthusiasts who are willing to extend their activities into the winter months. Activities might include winter camping, winter cycling, ‘gymkhana’ events and birding hikes.

Heritage Tourism

• Expand the activities of the Maritime Museum by building up a functioning Lake Champlain Heritage Fleet. Important types of traditional lake craft could be replicated or restored to operational condition and moved around the lake to key locations and events. Currently, a replica 18th century gunboat exists. High priorities for further craft would include canal barges and a tug, a group of native craft and a replica pioneer steam boat. Lake Champlain once enjoyed global importance as a steam boat route. Replicated vessels could provide a valuable tourism and educational resource if accompanied by interpretive materials and crews. Crew members could be volunteers and as such would require training in interpretation, navigation and other skills. The boats themselves could be owned by private interests or non-profit organizations. Regardless of their ownership, their movements should be coordinated by the Maritime Museum. There are English prototypes for the development of heritage fleets that should be considered.

• Develop special events and festivals connected to the Lake’s heritage. One idea was suggested during the team’s marina tour – the first woman steamer captain in the world, who sailed Lake Champlain in the 1900s. This is particularly appropriate because the current skipper of the tour boat Philomena is also a woman. This idea could be developed for a special anniversary event that celebrates the role of women in maritime heritage.

• Consider developing a floating market place on a traditional barge. The barge should service all port towns in the area and highlight local agricultural and craft products.

• Continue the development and installation of a coordinated series of interpretive signs at key access and historical points around Lake Champlain. While 33 locations have been selected, only six signs have been erected due to lack of funds. With a concerted effort to cultivate creative partnerships and find new funding sources, it should be possible to expand this program.

• Establish a mining heritage trail at Mineville. Ideally, this would link with a town trail in Port Henry via the mine railway route. The enormous 21 pit, now invisible behind safety fencing, could be a highlight of the trail but would need a viewing platform. Other elements could include the surviving surface buildings of the mine, company buildings such as those for health and social purposes and distinctive miner’s housing.

• Design the reclaimed waterfront at Port Henry so that it tells the story of its industrial past. Often, the scale of the lost industry is the hardest concept to convey. This can be overcome by designing public spaces that show the position of lost structures such as foundation marks and railroads using embedded or painted lines. Interpretive signs should also be erected.

• Explore interpretation of the ethnic heritage of the Champlain Valley and Essex County. Some possibilities include the Underground Railroad and the life of pre-European native tribes.

• Develop interpretive audio tours for purchase and/or rental. While often used for car touring, they can be adapted for use by bikers who can carry portable audio players. Renters could provide a deposit for the use of tapes and equipment, which could be made available throughout the region.

• Develop opportunities for stewardship holidays. During these holidays, individuals volunteer to help with local stewardship projects in return for hospitality and a chance to explore a new part of the world. They are often urban dwellers looking for a rural experience. Volunteers could assist with underwater archaeology, maritime or mining history research, computerizing of archival date, conducting water quality testing or developing a regional photo bank, to name just a few.

• For key interpretive materials and signage, include elements of French for the benefit of French-speaking Canadians. Other languages might be considered based on visitor profiles.

Connected Trail Development

• For recommendations concerning the involvement of residents in trail development please see the next section on Bringing the Players Together.

• Develop downtown walking tours. Link interpretive publications with signs distinguished by numbers and/or logos placed in windows or on placards in the front of buildings. Link these downtown tours with circular tours into the surrounding countryside. Agricultural lands provide pleasant walking that is less arduous than hiking in the surrounding mountains.

• Reopen discussions with mining and other companies that own abandoned industrial land in order to ascertain the potential for new trails. These trails could have industrial themes and provide public relations benefits to the companies concerned.

• Establish a scenic railway passenger shuttle service between Ticonderoga and Port Kent both for visitors and to improve local transportation. Spectacular lakeside views can be seen from the railroad and this could be enhanced by the use of heritage trains at peak times, with at least four runs per day. Ideally, speeds should be slow. Some new infrastructure would probably be needed such as sidings through built up areas and train servicing areas. Port Henry is the obvious location for train servicing and any related heritage railway activity. It currently has significant industrial heritage facilities and an expansion would bring minimal environmental disruption.

• Establish a timetabled passenger boat service on Lake Champlain. This service should be linked to hiking and biking trails and scheduled to coordinate with the scenic railway. Stopping places for the boat could include Ticonderoga, the historic forts, Port Henry, Westport, Essex and Port Kent. Bikeways and hiking trails should either include these locations or have spurs to them. An excellent example of a passenger boat service exists in Vancouver, British Columbia.

• Offer incentives for the use of alternate modes of transportation – lower lodging rates, food discounts and hiker/walker appreciation days.

Downtown Revitalization

• Explore and utilize every tool available to restore and develop historic buildings. These include: tax incentives, graduated rent agreements, block grants and mini*development grants for imaginative re-use from regional organizations. Landlords should also be encouraged to share the risks with their new tenants. Half the rent is better than no rent at all. Tourist accommodations and restaurants are a good combination for former shopping places.

• Continue efforts to persuade doubters that the conservation of historic character is one of a town*s best routes to prosperity. The former industrial towns of Lowell, Massachusetts, and Ironbridge, England, are prime examples that demonstrate that heritage can earn its keep. In Port Henry, a local education effort could use the town’s trail guide leaflet and the Iron Center as a base.

• Incorporate interpretive information as part of a larger regional heritage story into downtown historic structures. Inclusion of such interpretive information might be a condition of receiving a grant for redevelopment of historic structures.

• Consider options to accommodate visitors with a range of disabilities Ð wheelchair access and closed captioning, for example – in all downtown facilities.

Bringing The Players Together

Observations:

The Western Champlain Valley is a beautiful area with considerable landscape and heritage assets including high peaks, Lake Champlain, attractive villages, agriculture, mining and maritime history. All of these assets contribute to a unique and attractive ‘spirit of place’. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many local residents do not fully appreciate these assets. For many residents, much of the identity for the area lies in the past with its long-gone heavy industries such as iron. Loss of these industries has led to deterioration of living standards and self image. At the same time, many residents have a strong attachment to their particular township or hamlet versus the broader region. This lack of positive regional identity means that opportunities for ‘ambassadorial’ roles are lost. Although considerable strides have been made in recent years to increase the ‘welcome factor’ for visitors, other opportunities remain.

Currently, the area experiences a highly seasonal but largely manageable influx of tourists. Although opinions are divided locally as to the extent to which further visitors should be encouraged, the area does have limits based upon infrastructure – roads and other means of transport, accommodations, shops and the natural environment. Change is a contentious and frequently emotional issue. Defining ‘acceptable limits’ is both an objective and a subjective matter, concerning physical limits and the views of people. Limiting the numbers and impacts of visitors is an issue common to many destinations and there are methods for doing so. The fact that limits to growth have been recognized at this point in time is far-sighted and bodes well for the future.

Building development raises particular issues. There are restrictions on built development within the Adirondack Park, the intensity of which depends on whether the land in question is within a designated hamlet. The Park Authority has a particularly good set of leaflets explaining its control mechanisms. Although these mechanisms are well known, and the reasons for them largely appreciated and respected, some individuals do feel victimized and unreasonably restricted.

This issue has created polarization between pro and anti-development camps. Politicians have also tended to take sides. While totally legitimate and democratic, this has been a major frustration to those supporting longer-term community development initiatives and has made it difficult for residents to feel that their valued way of life is secure. There have been efforts by CVHN to research and implement recreational trails for non-motorized use. While it is anticipated that both residents and visitors would use these trails, the advantages of such trails may not yet be fully understood or appreciated locally. The perception of potential problems is often distorted even though experience has shown problems associated with trails use to be minimal.

Recommendations:

Appreciating ‘Sense of Place’

• Initiate a community-based awareness campaign that highlights regional assets and attractions. One element could be heritage workshops, run for residents and visitors. Some should be targeted for young people, while others should cater to older audiences.

• As with Fort Ticonderoga, enable local residents to visit local attractions free of charge.

• Encourage local involvement in festivals and events aimed at celebrating key heritage themes such as ‘Making of Nations’, ‘Corridor of Commerce’, ‘Industrial Heritage’, ‘Battlefield Tours’ and ‘Celebration Champlain’. It can be particularly effective to link events to milestone dates such as important anniversaries.

• Increase student awareness of local heritage and tourism. Develop a partnership with a school or organization in the region willing to spearhead a heritage education project for students.

• Consider adopting the idea of ‘superhosts’ in the Western Champlain Valley as is being done in Ontario, Canada.

Limits to Change

• The Champlain Valley Heritage Network will need to bring together agencies, individuals involved in tourism and local people in order to talk about acceptable limits to change. This process will be a gradual one and should involve the use of external facilitators. While there will always be die-hards, many of those currently opposed to tourism development simply need an opportunity to understand what is being proposed, what the benefits are and, most importantly, to have their fears genuinely recognized and addressed. This could be done through informal public meetings. It may also be necessary to go and meet various stakeholders at their regular meetings or at other informal settings instead of asking them to come to an additional meeting.

• Develop a tourism plan that sets limits on development and includes elements such as visitor numbers, type and quantity of buildings and infrastructure. Ensure that all affected parties, especially opponents, are included early and continuously throughout the planning process. Make use of existing channels of communication to disseminate information and receive input from the public. It will also be important to ensure that the tourism plan is accessible and user-friendly.

• Review the development plans of the Adirondack Park Authority, townships and villages to ensure that they are compatible with the requirements of the new tourism plan.

• Set up a monitoring system to review the tourism plan at appropriate intervals in order to check the effects of various policies in promoting tourism and preserving valued local attributes.

• Investigate and consider techniques to manage the numbers and impacts of tourists. Examples include:
  • pricing mechanisms to limit the numbers of visitors;
  • patrolling by the Coast guard, local police and other auxiliaries to ensure that visitors comply with litter, noise, vandalism and other by-laws;
  • establishing a voluntary visitor ‘Code of Ethics’ to encourage good conduct within the area; and
  • encouraging new businesses to locate within hamlets or village limits rather than in undeveloped countryside.

Appreciating Non-motorized Trails

• Add signs and interpretive materials and services to all trails. This would not only provide regional stories for visitors, but also contribute to raising residents’ awareness.

• Investigate the potential for linking local sporting events such as marathons, biathlons, and cross-country skiing with trails. This will help to increase local appreciation for the values of trails.

• Liaise with other recreation groups such a snowmobilers to ensure reasonable sharing of the area trails’ potential by residents.

• Assess the local interest in developing a ‘hamlet to hamlet’ walking trail.

• Where feasible, continue to build upon the Bikeways Project by adding local loops that are well signed and interpreted.

• Encourage schools to use local trails. Prepare teacher packets for trails including curriculum based material highlighting historic, cultural and natural resources.

Economic Development

During its visit, the team learned that New York state considers a ‘small business’ to be any enterprise with up to 1500 employees. For the purposes of this report, a ‘micro-business’ will be those with up to 15 employees and a ‘small business’ up to 50 employees. These definitions are more appropriate for a rural area.

Observations:

There are a large number of entrepreneurial ideas within the Western Champlain Valley. If these ideas are to be turned into opportunities, they will need skilled entrepreneurs to develop them together with funds for business development. Currently, while there are a multitude of organizations that support self-employment and new business creation, they can be very difficult for potential users to understand. It also creates overlaps and gaps in business support. The accessibility of information and advice seemed to vary throughout Essex County. While most of these organizations are keen to attract new clients, many do not advertise their services. One organization stated client confidentiality as the reason. It was encouraging to hear that the idea of a ‘one-stop-shop’ for business assistance was being discussed.

There are many economic activities that complement tourism. For example, the operator of a barge-mounted pump-out business for yachts relies on boating tourists. Similarly, heritage buildings are major tourist attractions that need to be maintained by skilled artisans and craftspeople. This area is ideal for incubator business development with great potential for employment, especially of young men and women.

There was a perception among some that individuals engaged in multiple businesses were not running a ‘proper’ business. The team learned, however, of some people that were making a good living by ‘multi-tasking’, particularly during the winter months.

Education is a critical component of economic development. It needs to equip children not only with practical skills but also with the capacity for innovative thought. In the Western Champlain Valley, education should also bring children an increased sense of self-awareness through contact with heritage, environmental and business interests. Businesses, relevant organizations, schools and colleges need to improve communications within the community in order to more effectively match education and training with employment opportunities.

Recommendations:

• Organizations involved in business support should collectively review their programs and services in order to identify overlaps and gaps. A comprehensive ‘one-stop-shop’ guide to all business support services should be created in an easily updated format and made available by all listed organizations. Consider establishing a database of business support organizations and services. Those seeking assistance simply identify the kind of help they need and receive a list of appropriate organizations and programs.

• Consider new types of support in addition to small business planning and loan support. These might include:
  • Start-up grants paid weekly that provide a financial cushion in crucial formative months (based on the UK Enterprise Allowance Model);
  • More informal self-help networks for businesses to share experiences and problems in the early stages;
  • An ‘Enterprise Road Show’ to promote business creation and showcase successful enterprises. This could involve professionals from all business support organizations in the Western Champlain Valley; and
  • A ‘Young Enterprise’ program where high school students receive mentoring by local business people and are guided in the principles of business start-up and development. Rotary, Kiwanis, Kinsmen and similar service clubs should play a role.
• Research creative relationships between seasonal tourist attractions and feeder industries on a continuing basis and then communicate the possibilities to potential entrepreneurs. The team identified three tourism-related business examples during its stay: n Kayak and high-tech paddle manufacturing by the rapidly growing General Composites of the Westport area to support kayaking. n Developing an internet-based mail order supply business to complement a core seasonal business as demonstrated by the Westport Marina. n A mobile floating ‘honey wagon’ to do pump-outs and pick-ups at boat moorings. This is a new opportunity arising from the fact that some boaters sink their waste in the lake.

• Explore the concept of Essex County as a Center of Excellence for heritage restoration and maintenance skills. Heritage workers, especially young people, who can acquire high levels of skill in areas such as carpentry, masonry, textile and plastering, can look forward to economically rewarding and even prestigious careers. There are already many skilled craftspeople in the area engaged in structural restoration and conservation work who can pass on their skills to others. To build on this potential will require the cooperation of educational and training organizations, the architectural profession and building trade councils. Paul Smith College is currently developing a resource center devoted to the building trades.

• Create regular opportunities to brainstorm about potential new business activities. The results of any research efforts could be presented at these forums. An ‘Idea Bank’ could also play an important role in encouraging, assembling and communicating ideas for new business opportunities to potential entrepreneurs. Suggestion boxes placed throughout the region is one simple way to collect ideas.

• Apply pressure to the state Board of Education to allow region-specific learning and technical skills training in the school system. This may include additional instruction concerning the history and resources of the area and craft or artisan training in trades such as stone masonry and historic carpentry.

Management Structure

There are many agencies, organizations and levels of government with the formal mandate to address some aspect of tourism and economic development. There are also many non-government organizations that despite their desire to collaborate are obliged to compete for funds and influence. The team frequently heard comments about the confusion, red tap and diluted efforts generated by this situation. This is certainly not unique to the Western Champlain Valley, but needs to be addressed if human and financial resources are to be used efficiently and effectively.

Better coordination among all parties will be necessary if the existing situation is to be improved. Currently, there is no one organization that is performing this function in a comprehensive manner. Coordination can be muddied if the coordinating authority is also implementing programs and projects.

Throughout the Exchange week, the team heard a lot of support for ‘bottom-up’ decision making and much dissatisfaction with ‘top-down’ approaches. If the commitment to ‘bottom-up’ is genuine, individuals and organizations must begin to take action. Local government, other agencies and organizations can make themselves more open to public input, establish meaningful communication procedures and delegate some planning and advisory functions to appropriate interest groups.

Recommendations:

• Soon after the Exchange report is released, develop a process of consultations involving all stakeholders, including skeptics and outright opponents. This could involve a series of local and regional meetings with the purpose of identifying priorities, clarifying responsibilities and, if possible, eliminating redundancies. Find someone within the region or, if necessary, from outside, to help develop and perhaps facilitate this process.

• Another element of the consultation process should be to reexamine the geographic scope and purpose of the Champlain Valley Heritage Network (CVHN). The team suggests a change in emphasis towards greater inclusiveness and communication. Communication is seen by the team as being the key ingredient to the building upon CVHN’s success to date. It is the also the team’s impression that now may be the appropriate time to formalize the Network legally and establish membership, bylaws and policies.

• Develop an appropriate strategic planning approach. Strategic planning needs to be balanced with progress on implementation and also needs to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved and/or informed as necessary. Strategic planning and project planning can be the responsibility of separate organizations with appropriate communication lines established. Or, a separate coordinating group could be established that brings together key organizations.

• Develop an effective and meaningful process to involve and inform the general public about the strategic planning and implementation process. It may be necessary to solicit the help of outside expertise to choose the most appropriate public participation techniques and set up the process. One idea is to develop a public ‘road show’ that could tour the area, perhaps explaining CVHN’s revamped structure and highlighting other ideas in this report. The Adirondack Park Authority has information on producing travelling displays that could be useful. It will be very important to have someone with well developed process and communication skills to be in charge of public involvement activities. This should be a paid position. Funding should be shared by government, quasi*government and non-government organizations.

• Ensure that residents are kept informed of tourism and related economic development activities in the region, either through the use of existing media or by creating new opportunities such as a print and/or electronic newsletter. The APA has a leaflet that explains how to produce a regular newsletter. Use plain English and ensure that information is presented clearly. Encourage local communities and organizations to submit articles so that the newsletter has a ‘bottom-up’ focus.
  • Create a master action plan of goals, activities, priorities and proposals, which clearly indicates project stages and who is working on what. When developing this plan consider the following:
  • Make clear distinctions between goals (e.g. improve and increase job skills of young people in the area) and activities (e.g. host secondary school job fair);
  • Include potential and committed funding sources and partners;
  • Organize the list into short, medium and long term projects and, where appropriate, project phases; and n
  • Update the plan regularly and share the results with the public.

It would also be useful to collect all past proposals and identity those items that turn up in report after report over the years. If certain items are not being implemented but are important, concerted efforts should be made to incorporate them into the action plan and make them high priorities, if necessary.

• In the longer term, pilot a series of local community appraisals at public meetings as a means to implement a truly ‘bottom-up’ approach to community involvement. These appraisals should by led by skilled and objective facilitators who understand an integrated approach to economic, community and environmental solutions. The appraisals could culminate in a series of locally owned action plans, each with its own activities and priorities.

• Establish a network of local community coordinators to help identify common issues, stimulate project ideas and interact with the ‘higher-ups’ involved in realizing them. These individuals should be trained appropriately and receive suitable coordination support. There are established models for this approach that have been used in the United Kingdom and the wider European Union. This approach has been successful in generating grassroots ideas and aspirations. There are some examples of this being done successfully right now in the Western Champlain Valley such as the Friends of the North Country.

• On a continuing basis, encourage the public to contribute their ideas and comments on the record. A general ‘idea bank’ could be established for this purpose, which could have wide exposure through drop boxes in local shops and meeting places, through the Internet and, of course, at regularly scheduled public meetings.

Conclusion

Some of the ideas presented in this report will, we hope, be adopted and bear fruit in the future. Others may be rejected as being lower in priority or already in hand. Although there are many ideas to consider, the team contends that communication is the single most important ingredient for moving forward. At the end of the 20th century, the Champlain Valley Heritage Network is at a crossroads concerning its future role and raison d’etre. CVHN has made great strides in enhancing communication since the 1991 Countryside Exchange. The team regards inclusiveness and enhanced outreach as the key elements needed to build upon this success. This includes communication with those directly and indirectly involved with tourism, with those within and outside CVHN, and with those in the larger region beyond Essex County.

Appendix

SASHA’S FABLE

This fable was written for and in honor of the people of the Western Champlain Valley” by the Countryside Exchange team and presented at a community meeting on October 29, 1999.

It was written based on some important observations and concepts that the team made during its visit:

• The Exchange team will not have a “magic answer” for all the questions and issues presented to them.

• People have varying ideas and perceptions about their “community” Ð the current reality, changes that have occurred and the future they want to see. All people, including those who have lived their whole lives in the area, must contribute to decision-making about the future.

• The team did not see, talk with or receive any input from the youth of the regionÉ.nor with any representatives from the public or higher education systems.

• The region is currently, and will continue to, undergo change; the question is whether or not and how that change might be managed.

• The region is rich with unique natural and cultural resources and history – its stories are intriguing.

• Many of the area’s residents are unaware of the region’s resources and stories.

• There have already been a myriad of relevant reports written about the issues presented to the team. Many of them contain similar observations and recommendations. The biggest challenge is figuring out an effective, inclusive and regular system of communication among residents and stakeholder groups within the region that provides an opportunity for all to contribute and help with implementation.

Fable:

Sasha’s Journey Once upon a time, a young child named Sasha was at the age of becoming an adult. For all of her life she had lived in the village with her family and others who lived in the village. She had never wandered far into the woods and lakes. But now her grandmother had asked her to leave this place, the only place she’d ever known. “Sasha, now is the time for you to seek a new place for the village. Food supplies and resources are running low here, and the people will have to move soon. Go out to explore the world and bring back tales of the land beyond.” The grandmother gave her a small bit of bread, a knife, a small sack in which to collect things . . . and a magic walking stick which she said Sasha could use to help handle any problems she might encounter on her journey. Sasha was excited to be traveling to a new place, though she had always been a bit nervous about venturing too far from the village. But now she had her magic walking stick.

After a restless night, she started off in the early morning, with the mist just rising off the lake. The hills, now ablaze with color, loomed ahead, beckoning her to explore. Eager, she headed up the hillside. Halfway up the hill, breathless and hungry, she took a rest and ate her bit of bread, then continued up and into the woods. By the time the sun was high in the sky, she was hungry again. Having finished her small bit of bread, she had no food and she’d seen no people to ask for food. But soon she found a raccoon licking its paws after a fine meal. “Pardon me racoon, I’m in a strange land and I’m hungry. Can you tell me where to find a bit to eat?” The racoon only looked at her with his beady black eyes, for he did not understand her language.

Sasha finally remembered the magic walking stick her grandmother had given her. She said: “Oh, magic walking stick, I want this racoon to understand my words. Do you have a solution?”

The racoon still did not speak . . . . but POOF there came a set of “instructions” for the child to learn racoon-speak. She tried, but the racoon still did not speak. Silently Sasha carved a picture of racoon on the stick. Then she wandered on, suddenly remembering that she had to find the answer to a very important question: What is this new land all about, and would it be a good place for the village?

Soon Sasha saw a butterfly flitting across the open meadow, finally landing on a late autumn aster still clinging to its stalk. “Butterfly, tell me about your land.” The butterfly, more cooperative than the coon, replied, “It is an airy, open space, full of light and color, with many types of nectar for me to drink. Sasha wished she could sip nectar. She could not, so she carefully carved a butterfly on her walking stick.

Continuing across the field, she found a deer. “Mr. Deer, what is this land really like?” The deer replied, “It is a varied land, where I can roam for food out in these fields, then come to be sheltered by the woods when I bed down at night. Puzzled about the different reply, she carved a picture of the deer on her walking stick. Thirsty from the hike, she went looking for a pool or other source of water. Finally she came to a lake, and found a trout swimming in a pool of clear water. “Mrs. Trout, what is the land really like?” “Aaaah,” replied the trout, “it is clear and cool and quiet; it is a deep place where I can dive deep and stay far from the eagle’s reach. And in those deep places are the wrecks of old ships where I can hide from the giant sturgeon.” Again she’d received a different answer. Sasha carved a trout on the walking stick after taking a long drink of the cool water.

The sun was setting and soon the moon began to rise in the sky . . . She still did not have a clear answer to take to her grandmother. “Hoot hoot ” … she heard above her. Perhaps I’ll ask one more creature. “Owl, please tell me, what is this land really like?” The owl replied, “It is dark and secret; yet it is a place where the field mice cannot hide from me no matter how dark it gets.” “But what about the things that Mr. Deer, and Mrs. Trout, the racoon and Madame Butterfly said?” The owl replied, “I’ll tell you only what I know. I have not visited the butterfly. I have not talked with the deer or racoon. I do not care to swim with the trout.”

Greatly distressed Sasha turned once again to her walking stick. “Oh, magic walking stick, I’ve gotten too many different answers. Can you tell me, please, what is this place REALLY like?” She began carving the image of the owl. The child was tired and did not want to read. Sasha wanted to play, but had not seen a young animal the whole day, and she missed the other children of the village. Standing deep in the woods and carving a picture of the moose by the light of the moon filtering through the trees, she finally saw the silhouette of a stately moose . . . head held high, antlers reaching to the treetops. “Mr. Moose, where are all the children?” The moose snorted and did not answer, for the child was invading his space. Now terribly distraught, tired, hungry, and still without an answer for her grandmother, Sasha turned one more time to the stick wrapped tightly inside her hand. “Magic walking stick, please bring me some children to play with. I’m tired of trying to find the answers to Grandmother’s questions. Maybe the children can help me.”

Before she drifted off to sleep, Sasha carved an image of the moose oh her stick. Then the child dreamed and dreamed all night, re-asking the questions over and over. “What is this place really like? Is this place a good place for the people of my village?” In the morning, she was awakened by a sprinkle of cold on her cheek. She arose and looked beyond the edge of the woods and across the field. What she saw looked like a totally different world than what she*d been exploring before she went to sleep. The hills were covered with white; the water in the lake where she’d seen the trout was frozen solid. Where the butterfly had been was a tiny cocoon hanging on a milkweed pod. A white rabbit hopped across the snow. The brilliant colors of the early journey were gone. And still she had no answer for her grandmother.

She knew her grandmother would be worried if she did not return soon, so wearily she turned her steps toward home, carefully grasping the walking stick on which she’d carved pictures of the things she*d seen. As she walked, she thought and thought and thought about the journey and all the different answers she’d gotten. What would she say to Grandmother?

Finally, just as she saw the smoke rising from the fires in the village ahead, everything became clear to her. Happy to get back home, she began to run. Still carrying the walking stick, a bit ragged for the wear, she ran to her grandmother who greeted her hugs and kisses. “Grandmother, you said you gave me a magic walking stick. But what I came home with is a special talking stick. There is no magic in the stick, and there is no magic answer out in the ‘other place.’ The magic is in the people of the village! If we come together around the fire, and pass around the talking stick, letting each person speak as they hold the stick, and if we really listen to what each other is saying, we can find our own answers and make our village and our world the world we want it to be.” Grandmother smiled.

“Oh, and Grandmother,” continued Sasha, “I did bring some ‘gifts’ from the other land, some special gifts that you may use as you’d like, or pass along to other people. The asters and butterfly cocoon, some brilliant autumn leaves and a melting icicle were passed around. But the most important gift was the talking stick, the stick that represented the stories of all the creatures who lived in the other world.

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©2002 Glynwood Center