Support was shown for creation of State Heritage Areas at a “community gathering conversation” in Athens last week. The discussion sessions are being held across the state to get public input into the idea of developing a program to help communities interested in promoting heritage tourism, recreation, and resource conservation. Mark Tummins, Director of Recreational Services, said the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association and the Cumberland Heritage Area are is good examples of the idea.

Tummins said several states have created Heritage Area programs as a way of encouraging public-private partnerships that will promote tourism and economic development as well as conservation, education and interpretation. He stressed that the state respects private property ownership and has no plans to take over land or to implement land use regulations. The goal is to work closely with propertyowners, officials and organizations.

He said the Heritage Area idea is gaining in popularity as a way to encourage collaboration to tell a story across turfs and invisible jurisdictional lines, using local resources as assets and emphasizing authenticity. He said that Heritage Areas are a place but also a strategy, a way to energize communities to preserve and promote their shared heritage. Heritage development, he said, is a way to use the past as a tool for revitalization of resources for the people and the future of the community.

Landmarks, he said, can work to preserve the past and also the future by enhancing neighborhoods through adaptive reuse. “There’s no point in saving a building because it’s pretty if you don’t have a use for it,” he said, noting there are many examples of historic sites being restored for community needs. This helps preserve the sense of place and identity while also meeting needs. One of the goals would be to build the capacity for long-term sustainability.

In summary, he said:

Heritage Areas are linked by shared traditions, pasts, and stories that are reflected by the region’s cultural and natural resources.

Without meaningful, inclusive stories and resources, a heritage area lacks a sense of place, a sense of the past, and a sense of identity and authenticity.

Heritage areas have demonstrated abilities to enhance the quality and quantity of life through better recreation, new business opportunities, and greater economic activity.

Community-Based Partnerships are the best Way to blend the Story, the Community, and a Preservation Ethic into a worthwhile project.

If the program is implemented, it would offer technical expertise and eventually have matching funds for areas designated as a State Heritage Area to help with areas such as marketing, development, staffing, and restoration. He said there are no specific guidelines yet but noted designated areas would be created through grassroots efforts, not by the state.

At this point, he said, a task force is looking at all possibilities and will be developing legislation if there is support for the idea.