PURPOSES.

SEC. 441. PURPOSES. The purposes of this subtitle include—(1) to recognize the significant natural and cultural legacies of the area, as demonstrated in the study entitled “Feasibility Study of the Proposed Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area” prepared for the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition in 2002 and revised in 2007;(2) to promote heritage, cultural and recreational tourism and to develop educational and cultural programs for visitors and the general public;(3) to recognize and interpret important events and geographic locations representing key periods in the growth of America, including Native American, Colonial American, European American, and African American heritage;(4) to recognize and interpret the distinctive role the region played in shaping the man who would become the 16th President of the United States, and how Abraham Lincoln’s life left its traces in the stories, folklore, buildings, streetscapes, and landscapes of the region;(5) to provide a cooperative management framework to foster a close working relationship with all levels of government, the private sector, and the local communities in the region in identifying, preserving, interpreting, and developing the historical, cultural, scenic, and natural resources of the region for the educational and inspirational benefit of current and future generations; and(6) to provide appropriate linkages between units of the National Park System and communities, governments, and organizations within the Heritage Area.