On January 13, 2020, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the Ghost Town Trail has been named Pennsylvania’s 2020 Trail of the Year. “Rich with the history of railroading and former coal mining towns along its 46-mile route, the Ghost Town Trail, like so many rail trails throughout Pennsylvania, captures the spirit of an read more
13
January
25
November
DCNR Invests $14.3 Million to Protect 10,000 Acres
On November 19, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced the investment of $14.3 million in 41 land acquisition projects that will protect 10,051 acres of open space and natural areas through the Community Conservation Partnership Grants Program. The investments were funded by a combination of state and federal sources, including the read more
19
November
DCNR Announces Grant for New Park in Philadelphia
On November 19, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the Wolf Administration’s investment of $1 million toward the acquisition of about five acres in Philadelphia for a new public park. “This funding helps the department support the acquisition of land for expansion of community parks, critical wildlife habitat, and for read more
9
October
DNCR Releases Penn’s Parks for All Strategic Plan
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has released the preliminary version of Penn's Parks for All: Planning for Pennsylvania's State Parks of Tomorrow, which summarizes the responses from over 10,000 people surveyed about how Pennsylvania state parks can be improved. The report also outlines ongoing and future improvements DCNR plans to make to the read more
23
August
Nicole Faraguna to Serve as DCNR Director of Policy
After more than 14 years at the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA), Nicole Faraguna has accepted the position of director of policy at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). She begins her new role in late August. Most recently serving as PALTA’s director of education and advocacy, Nicole has been instrumental in PALTA delivering read more
6
May
Wildlands Adds 35 Acres to Thomas Darling Preserve
At the end of April, Wildlands Conservancy acquired an additional 35-acre parcel of land in Tobyhanna Township that has expanded the organization's Thomas Darling Pocono Preserve to over 1,400 acres. The recent acquisition adjoins the 72-acre property Wildlands protected in 2017, which tied together neighboring existing natural areas and helped advance planned public access to read more
30
April
Pennsylvania Senate Confirms Dunn for DCNR Secretary, Redding as Agriculture Secretary
On April 30, the Senate voted to reconfirm Cindy Adams Dunn as secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Russell Redding as secretary of Agriculture. Cindy Adams Dunn Dunn has led DCNR since she was nominated as Acting Secretary in January 2015 and was later confirmed by the Senate. She returned to the agency where she worked under three read more
5
March
Manada Conservancy Protects 44 Acres on Blue Mountain
Manada Conservancy has protected a 44-acre, fully wooded property along Blue Mountain in Lower Paxton Township that will be open to the public for hiking and passive enjoyment. Located near Hocker Park, the property includes a portion of the Darlington Trail and is part of the Kittatinny Ridge, an important corridor for raptor and songbird migration, wildlife diversity, and read more
28
February
All Major Pennsylvania Sportsmen and Wildlife Groups Oppose Environmental Funding Transfers
In an unprecedented move, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited, and read more
19
February
Natural Lands Protects Addition to Marsh Creek State Park
On February 19 Natural Lands announced that it has purchased and transferred a 57-acre property to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as an addition to Marsh Creek State Park. Located in Wallace Township, Chester County, the land was slated to be developed. Now as part of the state park, it will be open to the public for hiking, birdwatching, horseback riding, read more
19
February
DCNR Budget Testimony Submitted to General Assembly
This is the text of the written budget testimony submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn: Good afternoon Chairman Saylor, Chairman Bradford, and members of the House Appropriations Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to discuss the budget for the Department of read more
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January
New Report: State Parks and Forests Face $500 Million Maintenance Backlog
On January 28, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation unveiled a new report on the maintenance needs of state park and forest infrastructure titled The Legacy of Pennsylvania Parks and Forests: The Future is in Our Hands. The event took place in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg and featured a slate of speakers who highlighted the need for increased funding for park and read more
18
January
DCNR to Acquire 987-Acre Parcel to Expand White Clay Creek Preserve
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) published notice on January 19 that it intends to purchase the 987-acre Strawbridge Property to expand its White Clay Creek Preserve in Chester County. The property includes more than seven miles of Big Elk Creek and its tributaries; important forested riparian buffers; over 353 acres of mature and young woodlands; read more
9
January
Brandywine Conservancy Receives Grant to Acquire 569-Acre Natural Area
The Brandywine Conservancy has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to be used towards the acquisition of a 569-acre natural area along the Octoraro Creek in Lower Oxford and West Nottingham Townships, Chester County. This area is a portion of the 952-acre Glenroy Farm property that spans Chester and read more
2
January
WPC Protects 281-Acre Addition to Laurel Ridge State Park
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy recently protected nearly 300 acres in Somerset and Fayette counties near the summit of Laurel Ridge and many popular Laurel Highlands outdoor recreational destinations. The land will be transferred to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of State Parks as an addition to Laurel Ridge State Park next year. This read more
