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This Issue: Paddle Green Program P.1 The ACA’s “Best of” Stewardship Initiatives and Grassroots Change P.2-3 National News and Water Trails P.4-5 Letter from the National Office P.6
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MONTHLY
JOURNAL OF
STEWARDSHIP
NEWS
ACA Stewardship I S S U E
S P R I N G
2 0 1 2
01 PADDLING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Paddlers for Healthier Oceans
S P O N S O R E D B Y
this issue
Paddle Green Program P.1
The ACA’s “Best of” Stewardship Initiatives__
and Grassroots Change P.2-3
National News and Water Trails P.4-5
Words from the National Office P.6
Fast Facts:
6 .1 4 m i l l i on t o ns o f
d e b r i s e n te r m a r i n e
e n v i ro nm e n ts ea ch
y e a r
8 0 % c om es f rom l an d
b a se d s o u rc es
M o re t ha n 60 % is
c om p r is e d o f p la s t i c s
3 3 % o f p l as t i c
p ro d uc t s a re s i n g l e
u s e a n d 8 5 % o f
p l as t i c s a re n o t
r e c yc le d
M os t p la s t i cs ne ve r
f u l l y “g o away ” b u t
b re a kd o wn i n to
m ic ro p la s t i c s ( le ss
t h a n 5mm l on g )
I want to get involved!
If you are in a region that the
Paddle Green Program is
scheduled to visit, register
online at americancanoe.org or
call Cate at the National Office!
If the ACA isn’t currently
scheduled to come to you give
us a call and we can help you
organize your own cleanup.
Remember, whether it’s an
entire watershed or just a few
paddling buddies, every bit
makes a difference!
1
QUARTERLY
JOURNAL OF
STEWARDSHIP
NEWS
As the ACA’s revitalizes its stewardship missions one
issue in particular seems to standout as being increas-
ingly important: marine debris.
According to the National Academy of Sciences, 6.14
million tons of debris are estimated to enter marine envi-
ronments annually. The United Nations Joint Group of
Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution has
estimated that land-based sources can account for up to
80% of the world’s marine pollution. Increasing efforts to
remove debris and litter in freshwater streams and riv-
ers, prior to entering coastal or marine environments,
has the potential to make a tremendous impact.
Who better to tackle this growing global issue than the
ACA? As paddlers we already paddle in marine environ-
ments or recreate on all the waters that eventually flow
into them. And with an estimated 50 million people pad-
dling annually, small acts of good on-water stewardship
can really add up!
If 1/10th of those who are estimated to paddle each year
pledged to collect 1 bag of trash during 1 paddle, 37.5
million tons of debris would be removed from our na-
tion’s rivers and streams!
This year, the ACA will pilot its first ever Paddle Green
Program. Designed to mobilize the recreation communi-
ty to proactively create healthier waters, the ACA
community development program will educate, equip,
and encourage local boaters to paddle sustainably.
The ACA will spearhead a series of cleanups in the
summer of 2012 that will be executed with oversight
from the Stewardship Coordinator at the National Office
and volunteers from regional paddling clubs and part-
ners. Scheduled events include:
“We as paddlers are in a unique position to add a
‘corrective stroke’ to the marine debris problem,” says
ACA Executive Director, Wade Blackwood. “Not only
does the ACA want the paddling community to under-
stand the severity of the issue, but realize paddlers have
an opportunity to significantly
decrease the amount of de-
bris flowing into oceans today.
A little effort from paddlers will
make an enormous impact on
the waterways we cherish.”
Event Location Date
Celebrate the Rappahannock Fredericksburg,
VA
June 9
LOVE the Lake Lake George,
NY
July 20-22
Clean Water Paddle— in
partnership with NorthBay
North East, MD
to the Harbor
August
TBD
Future Stewards Cleanup at the
National Paddlesports
Conference
Charleston, SC Nov 3
Did you know…
World Water Day is March 22
nd?
Created in 1992 by the United Nations
Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), World Water
Day is held annually on 22 March as a
means of focusing attention on the
importance of freshwater and
advocating for the sustainable
management of freshwater resources.
As paddlers, water conservation is
something that is intimately related to
the sports and environments that we
love the most.
So what can you do? Not everyone
can save the world, but we can all do
our part to contribute! Here are some
simple tips for you to help conserve
water (and lower your bills) in your
home!
1. Challenge yourself to 5 minute
showers
2. Water saving shower heads and
low-flow faucet aerators
3. Use a float booster (or make one
with a bottle and rocks) to save
water with every flush
4. Install a rain barrel to help with
your soft water uses
5. Use native plants and elements
of low-impact development (like
rain gardens or living shorelines)
in your landscaping
The ACA: a long-standing history of conservation Established in 1880, the ACA was founded on
camaraderie for exploration of waterways. Today,
exploration and good stewardship have become
synonymous and remain important components of
the ACA and its history! Check out some of our
Top 10 initiatives from the past two decades!
Have Stewardship events? Let us help!
2
10
9
5
4
8
1
7
3
6
Since 2002, the ACA has partnered with L.L.
Bean to provide the Club Fostered Stewardship (CFS)
Program to help support grassroots stewardship ef-
forts. To date, 81 projects have been funded by the
ACA with more than $70,000.
Protecting the waters
we paddle is one of the
ACA’s top priorities. In the
1990s, the ACA was in-
volved in 24 cases regarding
Clean Water Act Enforce-
ment.
The ACA worked with local stake-
holders, conservation organizations,
and Senator Warner to assist in the removal
of the Embrey Dam in 2004. Removing the
Embrey Dam made the Rappahannock
River the longest free-flowing river into the
Chesapeake Bay.
Thanks to several dedicated
ACA volunteers, partnerships with
American Whitewater, and several other
user groups, the Dillsboro Dam on the
Tuckasegee River was removed in
2003. Removal of the dam created an
unimpounded stretch of river nearly 30
miles long to be enjoyed by paddlers.
2
In 2006, the ACA helped to
found Outdoor Alliance with six
other outdoor recreation non-
profits. Together, we work to en-
sure the conservation and steward-
ship of our nation’s land and waters
through the promotion of sustaina-
ble, human-powered recreation.
The ACA works to build the ca-
pacity of newly formed organizations,
like this Minnesota SUP non-profit, to
conduct stewardship initiatives and
promote their mission and events.
Since 1974, the ACA has been
involved in legal battles opening up
access on the Chattooga. In 2010,
USFS’ dismissal was rejected, allowing
for the case to move forward. The ACA
and AW continue to actively seek the
access that paddlers deserve on the
Chattooga.
The ACA has been involved
with litigation against the District
of Columbia Water and Sewer
Authority (WASA) for violations of
the Clean Water Act since 2002.
A legal decree was established
forcing WASA to meet a com-
bined sewer overflow (CSO)
capacity of 460 million gallons per
day by 2008. Efforts to meet that
standard are still ongoing.
We value all of our national parks
and natural landscapes, which is why
the ACA urged the FWS to adopt Vision
and Goals outlined in the Draft CCP/IES
for ANWR and to recommend a Wilder-
ness designation for the Arctic Refuge's
Coastal Plain Wilderness Study Area.
With our OA partners, the ACA
has been active in commenting on the
Colorado Roadless Rule and ensuring
that conservation efforts are “as strong
or stronger” than 2001 rules.
The ACA’s online event calendar
now includes Stewardship
Events!
Looking for events in your area? Recruiting volun-
teers for a stewardship activity on your waters? Post
your event on our calendar to reach the many pad-
dlers that frequent the ACA website! Events posted
to our site may also be featured on our ACA Water
Blog and advertised on our many social media out-
lets.
Visit americancanoe.org to submit an event
Florida Paddl ing Trai ls Associat ion, 2012 CFS Grant Recipients
Have Stewardship events? Let us help!
Effecting Change on a Grassroots Level
Meet some of our 2012 CFS Grant recipients!
Great Rivers Paddlers Club and the
City of Prairie du Chien, WI
"The City of Prairie du Chien's efforts
to increase canoeing and kayaking on
the Mississippi River have been greatly
improved with the announcement of a
$1,000 grant from the ACA."
—Mike Ulrich, Prairie du Chien Park and
Recreation Director
Florida Paddling Trails Association
(FPTA), FL
The FPTA is a statewide association of
paddlers, clubs, outfitters, working
together to develop water trails and
protect the environments surrounding
them.
The Raritan Bay Paddlers, NJ
"The Raritan Bay Paddlers Club is the
first local community paddle club on the
Lower Raritan. Everyone’s support,
including the groundbreaking support
by the ACA, contributes to an energized
partnership to revitalize the Raritan into
a great American river. Thanks again."
- Denise Nickel, Middlesex County
Improvement Authority
3
Since 1974, the ACA has been
involved in legal battles opening up
access on the Chattooga. In 2010,
USFS’ dismissal was rejected, allowing
for the case to move forward. The ACA
and AW continue to actively seek the
access that paddlers deserve on the
Chattooga.
The ACA is proud to be able to help
local paddling clubs and organizations
to help improve their waters and make
this world a better place to paddle!
Through funds provided by L.L. Bean,
the ACA's Club Fostered Stewardship
(CFS) Program has provided nearly
$70,000 to 81 different stewardship
initiatives since its inception in 2002.
Intended to encourage paddling clubs
to take an active role in protecting and
improving the nation's rivers, lakes and
coastlines, the CFS Grant program
provides funding to local and regional
paddling clubs that undertake steward-
ship initiatives on their waterways.
In 2011, funded projects ranged from
source-to-sea cleanups, community
development, and engaging at-risk
youth in invasive species removal, to
improvements in access, trail develop-
ment, ramp construction for adaptive
paddlers.
While 2011 set a high bar, the ACA is
excited to have continued this partner-
ship with L.L. Bean and to fund many
more exciting projects on waterways
across the country! The 2012 grant
cycle is already well underway with five
CFS Grant Recipients and more appli-
cations rolling in!
So far, 2012 initiatives demonstrate
incredible promise with projects that
include revitalizing a waterfront park,
building capacity on the Raritan Bay to
increase urban water paddling and
stewardship, cleanups across various
states and types of water, and assisting
partnerships between state and local
agencies to install signage along 60
miles of the Delaware River.
Become a part of this growing legacy of
stewardship and apply for your grant
today! Grants range from $100-$1,000.
Applications are accepted on a rolling
basis and are available while funds last,
so get yours in today!
Visit americancanoe.org for more de-
tails.
4
Meet our Interns!
Through our internship programs, the
ACA is fortunate to be able to utilize
the many skills and talents of students
and recent graduates, as well as
provide them with professional
experience and development to
enhance their futures!
Krystal Hawkins is currently a
Geographic Information System
Certificate student at the University of
Mary Washington and will be working
as a Cartography Intern with the ACA
for the spring semester. She recently
graduated from UMW with a degree in
Geography and became familiar with
the ACA through our certification
program to be a kayak guide in the
Outer Banks.
Ford Peterson is a senior biology and
computer science major at the
University of Mary Washington. An
avid backpacker, hiker, snowboarder,
and fisherman, Ford is excited to be
working with the ACA to help improve
our Water Trails system by developing
a more user-friendly database.
EARTH DAY MEDIA CONTEST!
Celebrating YOUR good stewardship!
Send us your best photos or videos of stewardship activi-
ties on the water by April 18th, and worthy submissions
may receive an ACA Quick Dry Shirt or Hat!
Be sure to follow us online, to see entrants and winners!
National News:
Moratorium on mining in Grand Canyon (9 Jan)
Secretary Salazar formally signed a 20-year
moratorium, the longest allowed by law, on new
uranium and other hard rock mining claims on a million
acres of federal land around the Grand Canyon.
Salazar said it was "a serious and necessary step" to
preserving the canyon, an American natural icon, and
the river that runs through it.
New Forest Planning Rule (26 Jan) Collaboration and
a greater reliance on science are the keys to the
Obama administration's new guidelines in managing
about 193 million acres of national forest and juggling
the competing interests of industry and conservation
groups.
Plastic Bottle Ban in Grand Canyon National Park
(6 Feb) The Grand Canyon National Park will end the
sale of water sold in disposable bottles within 30 days,
eliminating up to 30% of their waste stream and setting
a precedent for sustainability within the National Park
System.
2013 Federal Budget demonstrates Continued Em-
phasis on Outdoor Recreation (14 Feb) With a focus
on outdoor recreation and renewable energy, President
Obama today requested $1.1 billion in appropriations
for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land
Management in Fiscal Year 2013. With many budget
cuts being made, the Dept. of Interior’s budget
remained consistent with 2012 funding. Also included in
the budget is a new Rivers Initiative to develop
restoration and recreation initiatives on rivers across
the country.
Outdoor Alliance 2011 Partnership Summit, Golden, CO (Dec 6-
9, 2011) As one of the founding members of Outdoor Alliance, the
ACA met with partners AW, AHS, Access Fund, Winter Wildlands
Alliance, and IMBA for the first ever Partnership Summit in Colora-
do. Bringing outdoor recreation enthusiasts, non-profit organiza-
tions, conservation groups, and representatives from various gov-
ernment agencies together, the summit served as a platform for
discourse and successful partnership strategies in managing the
resources we all care about.
“When people think of public lands, it’s too often that they focus on
the same old argument of recreation versus extraction,” says Adam
Cramer, Policy Architect for OA. “This event brings leaders together
to figure out how to strike the best balance of land use and protec-
tion.”
Highlights from the event included welcoming remarks from Will
Shafroth (Counselor to the Sec. of Interior) and keynote addresses
by Jed Weingarten (Photographer/ whitewater kayaker) and Peter
Metcalf (CEO/President of Black Diamond Equipment).
News:
Opposing Wastewater in the Edisto River—The ACA has been
working in conjunction with the South Carolina Audubon Society,
Sierra Club, Friends of the Edisto, and the Palmetto Paddlers to
oppose an agreement between Saluda County Water and Sewer
Authority (SCWSA) and the town of Batesburg-Leesville (BL) that
would allow for an additional 1 million gallons per day (MGD) of
wastewater be transferred to the BL Wastewater Treatment Plant
and discharged into Duncan Creek, a tributary of the Edisto River.
Combined with the current discharge rates, this additional 1 MGD
would exceed the permitted discharge capacity of the plant in dur-
ing the wet season, making the Edisto vulnerable to raw sewage in
times of overflow. The Edisto and the longest free-flowing blackwa-
ter river in the United States and iconic of the South Carolina Low-
country.
Protecting Public Lands in Florida— The
ACA recently opposed Florida’s HB 1103,
which would redefine the present “Ordinary
High Water Line.” Redefining the high wa-
ter line would result in huge transfers of
publicly owned land along the State's riv-
ers, lakes and streams into private owner-
ship, amounting to the loss of thousands of
acres of land that now belong to the people
of Florida and the many paddlers and an-
glers who enjoy those waters.
5
Keeping up-to-date with the latest in River Management.
The ACA has been accepted to
present at two of the highest
recognized conferences for river
management this year!
In efforts to promote conservation, the
ACA makes it a priority to present at
conferences and learn the latest in
research and management from
specialists in conservationist fields.
Cate Huxtable, Stewardship Coordina-
tor, will be presenting at the River
Management Symposium, in Asheville,
NC, and at River Rally 2012, hosted by
the River Network and the Waterkeep-
er Alliance, in Portland, OR. The ACA
will be speaking about water trails and
their role in promoting stewardship.
—————————————————
And don’t forget about our National
Paddlesports Conference in
Charleston, SC, this November!
Over the past decade, participation in outdoor recreation has
increased and is projected to experience continued growth.
What does this mean outdoor recreation enthusiasts and the
environments we love to play in? It provides us with leverage
to protect those areas that we enjoy. In fact, studies have
shown that outdoor recreation participation serves as a medi-
ator effect for the correspondence of environmental attitude
to behavior and action. Increased participation also equates
to increased access and more developed infrastructure to
accommodate this growth.
For paddlers, developing a water trail is often one of the best
ways to do this. Water trails, also referred to as “blueways,”
are modeled like many trails that you have undoubtedly
hiked, biked, or traversed before. They provide an estab-
lished corridor between specific locations on lakes, rivers,
and ocean environments and encourage recreation on the
water.
While every water trail is different, the basic components
include a safe put-in and take-out, parking, restrooms, and
sometimes day-use or overnight camping areas. They also
provide an excellent resource for disseminating information
about the waterway, safety, environmental information, and
messages of stewardship.
Water trails provide a host of tangible economic, ecological,
and social benefits to the surrounding community with a rela-
tively low investment. They create a venue for nature-based
tourism and help to create new opportunities for businesses.
A 2005 study revealed that in rural areas, those with an in-
crease in natural amenities experienced a decrease in in-
come inequity. Increased access to rivers can help diversify
local economies and bridge income gaps.
Additionally, water trails help promote healthy lifestyles: both
for the paddler and for the environments we love to paddle in.
The newly formed America’s Great Outdoors initiative sets a
precedent that emphasizes the importance of an active life-
style and an appreciation the environment and natural re-
sources around us. To protect those resources, water trails
can serve as a conduit for local conservation initiatives. They
involve improved planning efforts and cooperative partner-
ships among stakeholders and government agencies, creat-
ing a platform for conservation and management approach-
es. Often, these partnerships and establishment of a water
trail result in land protection, dam removal, increased signage
and education, cleanup initiatives, and volunteer programs
for trail maintenance and water quality monitoring.
To find a water trail in your area, visit our water trails data-
base today at americancanoe.org
The ACA Water Trails Database:
Add Your Water Trail Today!
Blueways: Greening our Waters
Simply go online to americancanoe.org and submit information for your water trail today to become
part of one of the most comprehensive water trail databases for paddlers.
ACA Stewardship Issue 01 March 2012
108 Hanover Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(p) 540.907.4460
(f) 888.229.3792
americancanoe.org
In June of 2011, I received a phone call that I will never forget. On the other end of the line was the voice of Chris Stec, ACA
Chief Operating Officer, asking me if I would like to fill their position of Stewardship Coordinator. After pursing environmental
science in college, I worked at a local outdoor center and served a year for the Corporation of National and Community Ser-
vice with the AmeriCorps*VISTA program and a local watershed non-profit. Reflecting on that phone call, I couldn’t dream of a
better job: recreation AND conservation? Those are my two favorite things!
I have been with the ACA since August and couldn’t be more thrilled to be serving you and your stewardship needs! While I
know that not all of us are self-proclaimed “greenies,” dedicating our lives to conservationism and the environment, as outdoor
recreation enthusiasts, we all have a vested interested in the health of our planet.
Luna Leopold famously said, “Water is the most critical resource issue of our lifetime and our children's lifetime. The health of
our waters is the principal measure of how we live on the land. " This statement is enduring and has never been more true
than right now.
As paddlers, we have a unique perspective in being able to intimately observe water health, perceptive to the minute changes
in flow, clarity, debris accumulation, and erosion, that cumulatively result in degradation of our water. More importantly, we
also have a unique position to serve as stewards of the waters we paddle. We have the
ability to educate others and encourage an appreciation for our precious water resources
through paddling. We can work with our local clubs to restore stream banks and conduct
cleanups, creating healthier waters with each stroke of our paddles.
Paddle safe, paddle often, paddle sustainably,
Stewardship needs on your waters?
You can contact Cate at our
national office:
540.907.4460 x 106
6
Be the change. Paddlers can make a difference.