BCD REGIONAL BLUEWAYS PLAN

The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments was awarded a grant to partner with the Departments of Interiors National Park Service to lead the formation of a BCD Regional Blueways Coalition of stakeholders and citizens. The Coalition will develop a plan to attract a variety of users to the regional waterways/blueways and related outdoor recreational opportunities. There are currently

recreational opportunities available on parts of the regions major waterways, but little has been done to inventory and market a regional blueways system that takes advantage of the connectivity of the rivers. The creation of a regional blueway network with signage and facilities will provide environmental and historic based education opportunities. In addition, the development of a Regional Blueways Plan will foster greater outdoor recreational opportunities, encouraging youth and their parents/guardians to become more active and helping to address obesity in our state.

This two year planning effort started in the Spring of 2014. Stakeholders have met to create a vision and establish working groups in the areas of Active Living, Economic Benefit, Conservation, Education/Awareness and Data Collection/mapping.