Each year, cold water fishing and boating add $305 million to the economy in Upper Delaware River communities, with the West Branch a favorite destination for anglers. © David B. Soete

A river runs through it. For 73 miles, the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River runs through a bucolic section of New York state and neighboring Pennsylvania, one whose rolling mountains, leaping streams, and rural communities are the past and the future of this region.

It's a landscape that has survived the decline of the timber industry and that of quarrying bluestone, a regionally distinctive sandstone. It has avoided the heavy urbanization seen downstream in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, and the water quality of the Upper Delaware has remained, if not pristine, close enough to support some great wild trout fisheries.

While the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is a unit of the National Park System, it's a different entity, fashioned administratively perhaps more like the park system in Great Britain, where communities often fall within a park's boundaries. While the Upper Delaware contains 55,575 acres within its administrative boundary, the National Park Service owns outright just 55 acres.

Residents and visitors alike enjoy recreational boating along the Upper Delaware River amidst scenic backdrops like Kilgour Spur/© David B. Soete

Working with the Park Service to manage this pastoral setting is the Upper Delaware Council, which was formed in 1988 specifically to create a partnership of state, local, and federal agencies, including the Park Service, to manage the scenic and recreational river.

A new report from the National Parks Conservation Association assesses the past and present of the river corridor, and looks to the future for maintaining the quality of life and quality of the river and its surrounding environment. Making Connections, Roots of Prosperity in New York and Pennsylvania’s Upper Delaware River Region, uses a patchwork of stories from community and business leaders along the river corridor to point out successes, and generate suggestions for how the vibrancy of both the river and the communities can be maintained going forward.

“The stories in the Making Connections report illustrate a vision for growing the region’s economic vitality – building on area traditions that value scenic beauty, clean air and water and small friendly communities,” said Joy Oakes, NPCA's senior regional director. “The decline of manufacturing industries across the country has pushed communities to invest in new strategies for economic development and growth. Strong partnerships and productive collaboration among community leaders are vital for the region’s bright future and for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.”

The discussions and planning ongoing in this region perhaps could be applied to other parts of the country where old economies are withering and have to be made over.

Fresh air, clean water, abundant wildlife and a rural landscape remain key parts of the Upper Delaware River region’s deep appeal for visitors, residents and business owners alike, NPCA points out. The region’s natural resources, including the national scenic and recreational river, supports and attracts opportunities related to ecotourism, recreational outfitters, fishing, hiking and more. The Upper Delaware River also supports one of the nation’s best wild trout fisheries, bringing $350 million in economic activity each year, the group notes.

“For the Upper Delaware region to recover and thrive economically, there needs to be a significant investment in a river-based economy that benefits people and communities,” said Jeff Skelding, executive director for Friends of the Upper Delaware River. “Tourism is the lifeblood of this community. We need to seize every opportunity to maximize the recreational value of the watershed and support responsible and sustainable use of the resource for the long term.”

Recommendations in the 20-page report for expanding upon existing opportunities and for the future of the region include but are not limited to:

* Update the Land and Water Use Guidelines, developed collaboratively more than 30 years ago, which help guide local development decisions within the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River’s narrow 73-mile-long corridor;

* Invest in the river’s long-term ecological vitality and compatible economic activities that benefit local businesses and communities;

* Develop and market a regional brand for the area’s natural resources to reach new audiences, and;

* Support collaborative community forums to promote storytelling, idea-sharing and to curate experiences and destinations for visitors.

"In the coming years, the (land and water use) guidelines will need updates to address new land uses such as utility-scale solar and wind energy and cell towers," said Kristina Heister, superintendent of the scenic and recreational river. "These land uses provide green energy, jobs and essential communication for residents and business owners. If not properly sited, operated and maintained, they may detract from the very reasons that people visit, live, recreate and do business here. We need strong support from federal, state and local leaders and communities to find—together—innovative solutions to new challenges."