Pennsylvania Invests $82M in Trail Projects
Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced nearly $82 million in funding for 295 local recreation and conservation projects across 58 counties. The investment aims to expand trails, parks, and public lands as part of Pennsylvania's goal to ensure every resident has trail access within 10 minutes of home. DCNR also released an updated Land & Water Trail Network Strategic Plan outlining a vision for a connected statewide trail network focused on recreation, transportation, and healthy lifestyles.
- The nearly $82 million investment is managed through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (DCNR) Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2), which draws from a variety of state and federal funding sources, including the Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund, the Environmental Stewardship Fund, and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. - The funding is allocated to specific project types: $31.3 million will go towards 140 park and recreation facility projects, $16.2 million is designated for the conservation of 4,818 acres of land, $8.2 million will be used for 29 trail planning and development projects, and $3.2 million is for 16 river conservation projects. - This investment supports Pennsylvania's outdoor recreation economy, which contributes $19 billion to the state's economy and supports over 168,000 jobs. The outdoor recreation sector in Pennsylvania has seen significant growth, with a 10% increase in economic contribution from 2022 to 2023. - The updated Land & Water Trail Network Strategic Plan (2025-2029) that guides these investments is a companion to the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and outlines four main goals and 26 action items to enhance and expand the state's trail system. A key objective of the plan is to close priority trail gaps to move closer to the goal of having a trail within 10 minutes of every resident. - Public input for the new strategic plan highlighted a need for more funding and training for trail maintenance and a desire for streamlined grant programs across state agencies. - One of the notable projects to receive recent DCNR funding is the Pine Creek Rail Trail, which was named Pennsylvania's 2026 Trail of the Year. A recently completed 3.2-mile extension of this trail, supported by $3.5 million from DCNR, connected it to downtown Wellsboro.
