Greenways and the US National Park system

The current interest in greenways as important elements of comprehensive conservation-recreation open space systems represents a sometimes erratic, but nevertheless continuous, evolution of a concept that encompasses public and private resources ownership, a complex resources base, and innovative approaches to management including partnerships among various levels of government, local organizations, and citizensʹ groups. This paper explores the role of the US National Park Service in the evolution of this concept. The recent development of heritage corridors and landscapes is viewed as both a component of the greenway concept and as a potentially significant direction for the National Park Service in the future.