Preserve America: What NOAA is Doing

In communities across America, NOAA is preserving the nation's heritage by:

Promoting the benefits of preservation - Through dynamic education and outreach programs, exhibits, visitor centers, and the media, NOAA spreads the message that our heritage resources belong to everyone, and that we all have a role to play in preserving them for future generations.

Fostering the recognition of historic properties - NOAA is proud to occupy and maintain a number of historic buildings and sites. The agency makes these important resources available to the public through open houses, public events, exhibitions, and other outreach activities.

Encouraging public-private partnerships - Every day, NOAA works with a wide variety of groups to conserve natural resources, protect special places, develop local communities, and reduce the impacts of severe weather. Our partners include aquaria, businesses, community organizations, federal, state, and local government agencies, and media outlets.

Improving federal stewardship - NOAA recognizes that the first step in preserving heritage resources is to have a plan. NOAA works with experts in government, the private sector, and academia to develop comprehensive conservation plans for resources of historical significance to the nation.

Supporting preservation and economic development through heritage tourism - Through museums, Web sites, and other venues, NOAA provides opportunities for the public to learn more about the agency's heritage resource conservation and preservation activities. For example, NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary offers a Web-based shipwreck trail that highlights the region’s rich maritime history and encourages the public to visit the Keys and dive the trail's nine carefully chosen, mapped, and interpreted sites.

Initiating minigrants within NOAA to develop our heritage assets - For the first time, NOAA employees applied for minigrants to support projects that pursue Preserve America goals and tell the NOAA story. Other agencies and the public are encouraged to participate as partners. Click here for more information.