Management Plan
Lake Champlain management partners gathered for the release of the LCBP’s management plan Opportunities for Action under the gaze of the Champlain Bridge in Crown Point, New York in June 2017. Photo: LCBP
Since it was established by the U.S. Congress in 1990, the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) has maintained a strong commitment to supporting sustainable recreation and cultural heritage programs. Opportunities for Action, An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin(OFA) was first signed in 1996—and most recently in 2017—by the governors of New York and Vermont and U.S. federal officials, and it includes a letter of endorsement from the premier of Québec. Since its first edition in 1996, a vital component of OFA has been providing access to and interpretation of cultural and natural resources throughout the Lake Champlain Basin to foster a sense of appreciation among residents and visitors alike. In 2006, the U.S. Congress formally authorized the establishment and funding of the CVNHP.
In order to continue this productive partnership approach and to better link the important relationship between a healthy ecosystem and vibrant economy, the CVNHP Management Plan is a stand-alone module of OFA. This inclusion strengthens awareness of environmental issues among partners in the tourism, cultural heritage, and recreation professions, while also informing environmental, agricultural, and other science-based authorities of heritage-based social, educational, and economic issues and opportunities. The CVNHP Management Plan also serves as a stand-alone document for the communities within the NHA, but outside the Lake Champlain Basin.