Last updated: August 4, 2022
Place
Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
Quick Facts
Location:
NY, VT
Significance:
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership includes the interconnected waterways of Lake Champlain, Lake George, the Champlain Canal and portions of the Upper Hudson River in Vermont and New York. The region is the ancestral homeland of Algonquin and Iroquois peoples and, over the past 400 years, has played a vital role in the establishment of the United States and Canada. It has served as a route of exploration, military campaigns and maritime commerce. It was the setting for innovations in business and technology, invasions and armed insurrections, new directions in religion and politics, long periods of peace and prosperity, and the beginnings of the conservation movement.
Designation:
National Heritage Area
MANAGED BY:
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership (CVNHP) works with community partners in the eleven counties surrounding Lake Champlain to interpret and promote the region’s natural and cultural treasures in order to build appreciation and improve stewardship of these resources. Nestled between the Adirondacks in New York and the Green Mountains in Vermont, this National Heritage Area also stretches south to the Mohawk River and connects with the communities along the Richelieu River in Quebec. The region is the ancestral homeland of Algonquin and Iroquois peoples and, over the past 400 years, has played a vital role in the history of the United States and Canada.
The CVNHP is managed by the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), whose purpose is to increase access to recreation programs and provide cultural heritage learning opportunities in order to builds a sense of stewardship for the environmental, historic, and social resources. While most of the CVNHP is located within the Lake Champlain Basin, the designation extends southward into Bennington and Saratoga counties. The legislation also contains CVNHP activities to the counties that border Lake Champlain, Lake George, the Champlain Canal and the Upper Hudson River.
The LCBP works in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Quebec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals to coordinate and fund efforts which benefit the Lake Champlain Basin's water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. Over the years, the LCBP has provided more than $1 million for cultural heritage and recreation projects.
The Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership is home to the following NPS units: