Craig Daily Press

Bernie Rose remembers the disappointment he felt when a nearly 500-year-old oak tree was cut down outside of his Michigan hometown. His grade-school class took field trips to see the tree, which was tied into a knot as a sapling and used as a trail marker.

"I never really thought about historical preservation," Rose said. "I just thought it was a shame to cut that tree down because of all the history that went by."

It wasn't the first time Rose has been affected by the destruction of tangible history, and he often has worked with groups to preserve it.

Getting involved with the Cultural Heritage Tourism initiative is just another way for him help preserve the past.

"If we do a good job of protecting and safeguarding the things we have, it's automatically going to give you a good return for your time and money because people pay to see what you're protecting," he said. "To be able to touch something old -- it's a neat feeling to me."

No one is quite sure how the concept of cultural heritage tourism gained such momentum.

According to Winnie Delli-Quadri, Yampa Valley Economic Development council staff member, the idea was broached 15 years ago in a YVEDC report. Really, she said, several communities have been working on their own cultural heritage tourism projects for some time, but the catalyst to a 10-community effort was the hiring of heritage tourism expert Judy Walden to facilitate community meetings. Since then, funding from the National Trust to hold joint meetings and training for those involved has kept the momentum running.

"That was really the catalyst to getting things moving, but I have to say there have been substantial efforts by some communities already," DelliQuadry said.

Volunteers in the 10 communities spanning Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco counties have been meeting to inventory their historical assets. They got together earlier this month to share those stories and will meet again on Wednesday in Craig for leadership training. Included topics are finding the fit between community and tourism, making sites and programs come alive, preserving and protecting resources, and focusing on quality and authenticity.

Four Craig residents have volunteered to spend a day learning how to move the cultural heritage tourism initiative forward.

Rose is one. Melody Villard is another. The effort is so interesting to Villard that she attended the last seven-hour meeting with her 3-month-old daughter in tow and will bring her again Wednesday.

"There are so many great stories here," she said.

"It's like a new house -- you want everyone to see."

Villard is the co-owner of Vill-ard's Bertique, a shop that only sells good made in Northwest Colorado. She said the economic effect of increased tourism would benefit her store, but that isn't the reason she gives her time to the planning effort.

"It's kind of fun to share," she said.

Moffat County Tourism Asso-ciation Director Steve Miller is coordinating the Craig-leg of the effort.

"This really ties in with Moffat County tourism goals," he said.

He's not sure what the effort will do for the area but said the attempt is creating partnerships among communities.

"The worst thing that can happen is we've networked with 10 comm--unities," he said. "We've al-ready formed partnerships.

Best-case scenario, DelliQuadri said, is a shot at economic diversity in three counties.

"Everything I've read and heard said it's a slow process," she said. "And that's what we want.

"We want to know what we're doing and do it right and in a way communities are comfortable with."