NPS throws a party for the Upper Delaware

REGION — Superintendent Vidal Martinez has announced a year-long celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Upper Delaware River as a unit of the National Park Service and a part of the National Rivers System.

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River was established to protect the Upper Delaware River Valley. Rather than purchasing the entire 76,000-acre valley, the National Park Service joined forces with the states, counties, towns and townships, non-profit organizations and many dedicated individuals to preserve and protect the values for which the area was designated as a unit of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. On November 10, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Omnibus Parks and Recreation Act establishing the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River’s 30th Anniversary programs will begin on National Trails Day, Saturday, June 7, with a walk to explore the remains of the historic Tusten Settlement. Also in June, the “2008 Delaware River Sojourn: Conserving Our Wild and Scenic River” will kick off in the Upper Delaware with paddling on June 22 and 23. Other programs will include River Reading and Backyard Biology, a series of programs for children, an October expo and a day-long symposium in November.

For more information visit nps.gov/upde or call 570/685-4871.