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January 12, 2006 Lake Champlain Erosion Guide Selected for National Planning Award WASHINGTON, DC — With little information available to them, property owners along Lake Champlain often employ structural solutions that inadvertently exacerbate erosion rather than stem it. To help preserve the shoreline, the Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) developed a user-friendly guide, the Shoreline Stabilization Handbook, that provides a wealth of information and range of options to governments and citizens alike. For its role in enhancing the understanding of lakeshore erosion and sustainable methods to control it, the Shoreline Stabilization Handbook is one of two recipients of APA's 2006 Outstanding Planning Award for a Planning Program, Project or Tool. The handbook will be recognized at APA's National Planning Conference during a luncheon ceremony on April 25 in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, a 30-minute video about all of APA's 2006 National Planning Awards recipients will be shown at the luncheon. Accomplishments of the awardees will be highlighted in the March issue of Planning magazine and on the APA website, www.planning.org. "Although a number of publications address stream bank stabilization, their effectiveness in helping landowners and jurisdictions combat erosion along inland lakes varies widely," said Carol Rhea, AICP, chair of the American Planning Association's (APA) 2006 Awards Committee. "This handbook not only defines the issues in language that is easy to understand, but it also evaluates 19 erosion control and stabilization techniques," she said. Working with agencies and organizations in both New York and Vermont, NRPC reviewed existing technical manuals offering structural solutions and uncovered newer, bio-engineering and bio-technical methods for controlling erosion. By incorporating these three categories of techniques, as well as non-structural solutions, the handbook provides a well-balanced approach to the topic. The handbook describes the applicability of existing erosion-control techniques and provides detailed information regarding cost and level of effort — particularly important for homeowners and municipal officials considering stabilization projects. The handbook enhances decision making by exploring solutions in light of environmental impacts, economics, and permitting considerations. Roughly 30 groups helped develop the handbook during an eight-month period, providing comments, technical guidance and, once the guide was completed, publicizing its availability. "The broad participation by so many partner agencies helped to ensure the success of this project," said Bonnie Waninger, NRPC assistant director. To make the guide more readable, NRPC hired a copywriter to transform the highly technical first draft into a shorter, reader-friendly version. A graphic designer used watercolors to illustrate important concepts and draw attention to content. "This is one book that a person may, in fact, ‘judge by its cover,'" wrote Stephen Mahoney, president of the Champlain Watershed Improvement Coalition of New York, in support of the handbook's nomination. To date more than 2,000 copies of the Shoreline Stabilization Handbook have been distributed. It also has been posted to the National Sea Grant Library online site. The APA National Awards for Planning are part of a proud tradition established more than 50 years ago, recognizing outstanding community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their leadership on planning issues. Contacts |
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