Annapolis City Dock
Guest writers: Kierstin Klimas and Brent Everitt, National Park Service
Our watershed holds countless stories and opportunities for connection, celebration, and preservation of its many ecological, historical and recreational benefits. Many of these stories and opportunities are located on lands conserved by members of the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership. These special places, open to the public, may benefit from the association and support of Chesapeake Gateways (aka the visitor experience network).
Collaborating to leverage the National Park Service’s (NPS) resources to provide its member places and partners with technical and financial assistance, Chesapeake Gateways works to enhance visitor experience throughout the watershed. The National Park Service is thrilled to invite members of the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership who conserve lands open to the public to join or rejoin the refreshed visitor experience network.
Based upon a new vision of partnership and conservation throughout the watershed, the network strives to improve the visibility of public access to conserved lands, empower visitors with thorough information prior to their arrival, and demonstrate the relationship of those lands to the mission and values of the National Park System.
Does your organization own or manage a site, trail, connecting route, water trail, or heritage area that helps visitors connect to the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
If so, you can nominate that place and by doing so, join the Chesapeake Gateways visitor experience network. This network provides helpful resources to your visitors and your organization. Self-nominated locations will join a system of places that provide opportunities to enjoy, learn about, and help conserve the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Serving as entry points and the key guide for experiencing the watershed, these places include diverse natural, cultural, historical, and recreational sites, trails, museums, parks, refuges, interpretive as well as orientation facilities, and associated programs.
Instructions for the Chesapeake Gateways Visitor Experience Network – Chesapeake Bay Watershed (U.S. National Park Service) are located on nps.gov. The National Park Service has made it easier than ever to join Chesapeake Gateways through a streamlined self-nomination process, granting access to many benefits and resources!
Schooner Sultana
These benefits include:
orientation and hosting training opportunities, including monthly network chats and information sessions, for partner staff,
regular visitor experience network updates with resources and benefits, inclusion on www.NPS.gov/Chesapeake and the National Park Service Mobile Application to highlight and amplify your place and story, inclusion and access to NPS App Experiences and thematic trip ideas, use of the Chesapeake Gateways Branding Identity within agreement guidelines, inclusion in Chesapeake Gateways brand materials, and more to come!
To join or rejoin the network, simply submit a self-nomination for each publicly accessible place that your organization manages. This nomination form is based upon the 2021 Updated Framework and will inform members of the establishment of a formal General Agreement, with clear commitments and benefits from the National Park Service. Click here for access to the self-nomination form and instructions.
NPS Chesapeake Gateways reviews self-nominations for eligibility on a rolling basis throughout the year, and agreements will be finalized quarterly. Self-nomination forms will be evaluated for completeness and its information will be verified, but there is no qualitative evaluation. Receipt of your nomination will be acknowledged within ten [10] days of submittal, and NPS staff will follow up with the next steps.
For additional information or clarification, please reach out by emailing [email protected].
Kayaking on the Lower Susquehanna
Image credit:
- Bob Peterson Photography
- National Park Service
- National Park Service
Lightning Update is a regular communication of the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions of the Partnership or member organizations.
To share a success story, news, or important event, send your information to:
Support for the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership is provided by:
National Park Service Chesapeake
EPA Chesapeake Bay Program
USDA Forest Service
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Virginia Outdoors Foundation
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Chesapeake Conservancy
The Chesapeake Conservation Partnership is co-convened by:
