NPS Chesapeake Gateways Community Meeting

National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways (NPS Chesapeake Gateways) will host a community meeting to inform community members about the potential designation of Tappahannock-Essex County as a Chesapeake Gateways Community, and share information about the Chesapeake Gateways Network. The meeting will be held at the Essex County School Board Conference Room from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, April 29, 2026.

The Chesapeake Gateways Network, convened by NPS Chesapeake Gateways, is a system of places, experiences, and communities that serve as the key guide for discovering, exploring, learning about, and supporting the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Earlier this year, Tappahannock – Essex County submitted a nomination to become a Chesapeake Gateways Community, a new designation within the network for communities to highlight their role as gateways to the Chesapeake showcasing, orienting visitors to, and encouraging exploration of the rich tapestry of local stories, landscapes, adventures, and experiences that define the Chesapeake region.

As part of this designation review process, NPS Chesapeake Gateways is hosting this community meeting to ensure that residents, stakeholders, and partners understand the Chesapeake Gateways Community criteria and designation process, as well as have an opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the NPS Chesapeake Gateways team.

The community meeting will start with a brief presentation on the Chesapeake Gateways Network (virtual attendance will be available). Following the presentation, NPS staff will be available to talk to community members about what the joining the network means and doesn’t mean, discuss the network benefits for members and visitors, and share information about the partnership park’s technical and financial assistance opportunities.

The Chesapeake Gateways Network Framework outlines the characteristics that define this and other designations within the network, as well as other information about Chesapeake Gateways and key initiatives, such as the Chesapeake Gateways Community Initiative, which shaped the development of this community-focused designation. 

NPS Chesapeake Gateways remains committed to supporting gateway communities, expanding public access, strengthening local outdoor and heritage tourism economies, and fostering collaborative conservation efforts to ensure that the Chesapeake remains a national treasure for generations to come.