On November 15, Governor Tom Wolf announced an investment of $50 million for 280 projects across Pennsylvania that will create new recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources, and help revitalize local communities.
“Many of the projects being funded—improvements to local parks, trails, and river access—bring opportunities for outdoor recreation closer to home, and are the features that help attract families, visitors, and businesses that provide jobs to communities,” Governor Wolf said. “This $50 million in grants will support communities throughout Pennsylvania working to protect and improve natural amenities for our citizens.”
Pennsylvania is investing in a variety of projects, including:
- 39 trail projects
- Conserving 4,000+ acres of open space
- 10 projects to plant trees along streams
- 16 projects for river conservation
- 126 projects to develop or rehabilitate recreation, park, and conservation areas and facilities
The grants are administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Funding comes from:
- The Keystone Fund, which is generated from a portion of the realty transfer tax
- The Environmental Stewardship Fund
- The ATV/Snowmobile Fund generated through fees for licenses
- Federal sources, including the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Projects are funded throughout Pennsylvania. A complete list (PDF) is available on the DCNR website.
Additionally, more than $2.1 million is being provided to Heritage Areas for projects, including advancing river and trail towns, closing gaps in Pennsylvanian’s destination trails, developing heritage tourism initiatives, improving educational and interpretative signage, and planning and marketing heritage tourism events.
