Study for a potential National Heritage Area available for review and comment

you.  If you receive news releases or other materials that

contain information about our National Heritage Area feasibility

study or the National Heritage Area program that seems as though

it might be questionable, we would sincerely appreciate the

opportunity to respond to it before you publish it.  In some

instances, we might choose not to comment on it directly, but we

would be grateful if you would give us the opportunity to do so. 

Please feel free to contact me at any time at the phone number or

e-mail address shown below.

372-3177

Heritage Area in the Missouri Ozarks is available for public review

and comment

Heritage Area in south-central and southeast Missouri is now

available for public review and comment.  The area in which

research was conducted encompasses Carter, Dent, Douglas, Howell,

Iron, Oregon, Ozark, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, Texas, Wayne, and

Wright counties.

recognition and support to places that have made distinctive

contributions to American culture.  If the proposed NHA in this

region were to be designated, it would be the first NHA based in

Missouri; Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, based in

Kansas, includes twelve counties in western Missouri.  There are

now 49 NHAs throughout the United States, varying widely in size

and reflecting many different cultural themes.  Congress is

currently considering bills that would designate additional NHAs in

Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, Texas, California, and

Hawaii.

the thirteen counties in which research took place and on the West

Plains Council on the Arts website (www.wparts.org), the South

Central Ozarks Council of Governments website (www.scocog.org), and

the website of musician, author, and journalist Marideth Sisco

(maridethsisco.com).

Council on the Arts, said, “We encourage every citizen of our

region to read this study and to share their thoughts on how and

whether we should proceed with further thinking about a possible

Heritage Area.”

the Arts and its subsidiary organization, Ozarks Preservation,

Inc., have been interested in the possibility of pursuing NHA

status because of its potential to enable residents of a region to

benefit economically from their cultural assets.   An NHA could

facilitate the marketing of cultural sites and events, the work of

traditional artists and craftspeople, locally grown foods, and

related resources of the Missouri Ozarks in a more integrated and

more effective way.  An NHA could help to keep stories of life in

this region in past generations a part of living memory through

ongoing documentation and interpretive programming.

Inc., collaborated with Ozarks Preservation, Inc., and the West

Plains Council on the Arts to conduct the feasibility study using

federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds

received by Ozark Action, Inc., from the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services (HHS) provided by the Missouri Department of

Social Services, Family Support Division.  The funds received from

the Family Support Division were all federally funded.

Company of Kansas City to prepare the feasibility study

report. Ozark Action’s participation, which has now concluded,

reflected its mission to foster economic opportunity and improve

the quality of life in our region.   Additionally, Missouri State

University-West Plains served in an advisory capacity.

Park Service, NHAs are not national parks.  The NHA program’s

website states, “The National Park Service (NPS) provides

technical, planning and limited financial assistance to National

Heritage Areas.  The NPS is a partner and advisor, leaving

decision-making authority in the hands of local people and

organizations.”

voluntary.  The NHA program does not involve acquisition of land

and never requires private property owners to grant access to their

properties.  All legislation designating NHAs as such includes the

following clause protecting the rights of property owners:

private property owner to permit public access (including federal,

state, or local government access) to such private property. 

Nothing in this act shall be construed to modify any provision of

federal, state, or local law with regard to public access to or use

of private lands.”

the West Plains Council on the Arts and Ozarks Preservation, Inc.,

especially civic engagement sessions held throughout the region

during the past summer and fall.  At least one such session – and,

in most cases, multiple sessions – took place in each of the

thirteen counties under consideration.  These took various forms,

ranging from interviews to large-group discussions, and included

meetings with historical societies, arts organizations, civic

groups, economic development groups, and public officials.

exploratory process that will benefit from extensive public input.

Area residents are encouraged to read the report and to comment on

it by writing to the West Plains Council on the Arts at P.O. Box

339, West Plains, Missouri, 65775 or by email to

arts@townsqr.com. (Because Ozark Action’s involvement concluded at

the end of 2010, Ozark Action is not receiving public comment on

the study.)

recommendations until March 18. (The deadline for official

submissions has been extended from the previously reported deadline

of March 5.) The West Plains Council on the Arts and Ozarks

Preservation, Inc., will continue to welcome public input

throughout their ongoing deliberations.

opinions about all aspects of this feasibility study,” said West

Plains Council on the Arts folklorist Matt Meacham.  “We want to be

certain that it accurately reflects the views and wishes of the

people who live here.