Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service facts for kids

The Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (HCRS) was a special group within the United States Department of the Interior. It was created in 1978 by President Carter's government. HCRS helped protect important natural places, historical sites, and areas for fun activities across America. They gave money and advice to people and groups working on conservation or recreation projects. In 1981, HCRS was closed down and its work was taken over by the National Park Service.

What HCRS Did

Even though HCRS existed for only a short time, it did many important things. It helped connect the ideas of protecting nature with saving historical places. HCRS worked on several key projects and achievements during its few years:

Protecting Parks and Trails

• They helped create a huge one-million-acre area called the Pinelands National Reserve in New Jersey. This protected a unique natural space.
• HCRS supported adding 21 new areas to the National Park System. This meant more beautiful places for everyone to enjoy.
• They helped expand the National Wilderness System, which protects wild, untouched lands.
• Eight new rivers were added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, keeping them natural and free-flowing.
• The mileage of the National Trails System tripled. This created many more paths for hiking and exploring.
• They sped up the process of naming National Recreation Trails.
• HCRS helped start the "rails to trails" program. This program turned old, unused railroad tracks into paths for walking, biking, and other outdoor activities.

Supporting Conservation and Recreation

• HCRS helped justify setting aside 120 million acres of amazing natural, cultural, and recreation lands in Alaska.
• They worked on a plan called the National Heritage Policy Act. This plan aimed to create a national policy for protecting special natural areas and historic places.
• HCRS supported three important orders from the President:
  • These orders helped protect federal lands from damage by off-road vehicles.
  • They made sure government agencies protected wetlands, which are important natural areas, by trying to avoid damaging them.
  • They also made sure that all government programs and buildings were accessible for people with disabilities.
• HCRS completed a big study in 1978 called the National Urban Recreation Study. This was the first time anyone looked closely at recreation problems in cities and suggested ways for local, state, and federal governments to help.
• They made it easier for states to get money for outdoor recreation projects. They simplified the application process and increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Protecting Coastal Areas

HCRS also played a big part in pushing for a law to protect the plants, animals, and other natural resources found on Barrier Islands. These islands are long, narrow islands that protect the mainland from storms. This law, called the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, was passed in 1982.

Leaders of HCRS

The Secretary of the Interior when HCRS was active was Cecil D. Andrus. The Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks was Robert L. Herbst. The main leaders of HCRS from 1977 to 1980 included Chris Therral Delaporte (Director), Meg Maguire (Deputy Director), and Paul C. Pritchard (Deputy Director).

Respecting Human Remains

During its time, HCRS also worked on important guidelines about how to handle human remains found on federal lands. They created a "Policy on Disposition of Human Remains." This policy was an early step in improving relationships between Native Americans and the U.S. government.

The HCRS policy said that if human remains were found in deliberate burials and could be linked to modern Native American relatives, they should be reburied. However, before reburial, the U.S. government was allowed to study and document the remains. This policy helped ensure respect for ancestral remains and cultural traditions.