Gateways in Action
With financial assistance from the Gateways Network, the Baltimore Visitor’s Center, installed a series of dynamic new exhibits in downtown. Senator Cardin, Representative Cummings and Mayor Dixon were among those who attended the ribbon cutting. Learn more about the Baltimore Visitor’s Center, a designated Gateway, here.
What is a Gateway?
Gateways are special places, across the Chesapeake region, which connect people to the history, nature and cultural traditions of this unique place. Gateway sites include skipjacks, the traditional oyster dredging boats of the Bay, and National Parks, like the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and Fort McHenry. Public gardens, arboretums, wildlife refuges and museums are also Gateways, each one opening a window onto a piece of the Chesapeake story. Want to find out which Gateway sites are near you?
What is the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network?
Individual Gateways sites come together through the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, a partnership program, to work towards common goals and objectives. The mission of the network is to help the public access, enjoy, understand and appreciate the natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources and values of the Chesapeake and its rivers and engage in their stewardship.
Helping people understand and appreciate the Chesapeake Bay through this network of special places is more than just tourism. Every person who lives, works or visits the region affects the Bay. Linking the places people value to an understanding of the Bay as a system is an integral part of the effort to conserve and restore the Bay’s natural environment. Changing how people perceive the Bay by interpreting its resources is a meaningful step toward creating a broader commitment to Bay restoration and conservation. This is a fundamental aspect of the Gateways Network vision.
Connect to the latest news on the Network here.
Who Coordinates the Network?
The National Park Service (NPS) acts as the facilitator, and coordinator of the Gateways Network partnership. The NPS provides technical and financial support for maintaining the Network, as well as technical and financial assistance for designated Gateway sites. These funds help enhance the public’s ability to learn about and enjoy the Bay’s special stories and significance, explore its natural and cultural resources and become involved in Chesapeake stewardship. For more information on Gateway designation or for guidance on how to become a Gateway, visit the NPS website, www.baygateways.net.
