The Hudson River Valley Greenway and Hudson River Valley National Heritage have announced that the 15th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble will feature more than 200 exciting events throughout the Hudson River Valley region.
The Ramble will be held during each weekend in September, and features the events of more than 150 partner organizations. The Hudson River Valley Ramble offers a variety of walks, hikes, paddles, biking tours and other events and is designed to showcase the scenic, natural, historic and cultural resources of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area . Ramble events are led by naturalists, ecologists, historians, geologists and trained volunteers from participating organizations.
“In 2013, over 126,000 people participated in Ramble events and we expect a great turnout again this anniversary year,” Mark Castiglione, Acting Director of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and Greenway said in a statement announcing this year’s events. “The Ramble provides people of all ages an opportunity to experience the cultural landscape of the Hudson River Valley by hiking a trail, visiting an historic site or paddling on the river. The Ramble demonstrates that celebrating our natural and cultural resources also provides a big boost to our regional economy. A recent economic impact study estimated that the Ramble generates a $21 million economic impact annually. The Ramble aligns with Governor Cuomo’s effort to highlight New York’s tremendous resources to help grow our tourism economy.”
The Hudson River Valley Ramble is funded in part through the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) program. The HRVNHA program was established by Congress in 1996 and is funded through the National Park Service. The mission of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area is to recognize, preserve, protect and interpret the nationally significant cultural and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley for the benefit of the Nation. The Hudson River Valley Greenway is the management entity for the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.
2014 not only marks the 15th anniversary of the Ramble, but also the 30th anniversary of the first National Heritage Area in the country: the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor. Since 1984, Congress has designated 49 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) and numerous bills have been introduced to create additional NHAs.
According to a 2013 economic impact report issued by the Alliance of National Heritage Areas and the NPS, the 49 NHAs contribute $12.9 billion to the U.S. Economy on an annual basis, primarily through increased visitation and tourism. In addition, their economic activity supports approximately 148,000 jobs annually.
Collectively, NHAs distributed over 600 grants in the amount of $4 million and engaged over 60,000 volunteers (at approximately 900,000 volunteer hours) in heritage area projects and programs in 2013. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area is proud to be a part of that accomplishment, with programs like the Ramble. For more information on National Heritage Areas, including an interactive map and economic impact data, visit http://www.nps.gov/heritageareas/.
The 2014 Ramble Sponsors Are: The Hudson River Valley Greenway; The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area; The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program; The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; The New York State Division of Tourism; The National Park Service.
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