12/16/24 - 110 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3ubmzu7a
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Corbett Agenda: Enjoying Our State Parks & Forests
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As part of his campaign platform, Gov.-elect Tom Corbett laid out a series of commitments on protecting the environment, developing Pennsylvania's energy resources, enhancing agriculture and promoting sportsmen's issues. PA Environment Digest is taking a look at the commitments he made on State Park and Forest issues-- For nearly 20 years, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has worked to maintain and preserve the Commonwealth’s 117 state parks and manage 2.5 million acres of state forest land. These lands were purchased for the public good and contribute to Pennsylvania’s economy through tourism.
DCNR is the Commonwealth’s steward of the first certified Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) sustainable public forest system in the United States. FSC certification is a strong economic driver that provides a critical advantage to sales for Pennsylvania’s timber and forest products industry and helps to keep 70,000 forest products industry jobs in Pennsylvania.
DCNR is also the Commonwealth’s custodian of a state park system that recently won the National Gold Medal Award from the American Academy of Park and Recreation Management.
DCNR provides additional services that have become integral to communities, residents, tourists and local economies. With the Community Conservation Partnership Program (C2P2), DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation has partnered with municipalities, business and community groups, and conservation and outdoor recreation organizations throughout Pennsylvania to “benefit rivers conservation, trails and greenways, local recreation, regional heritage conservation and environmental programs.”
As Governor, Tom Corbett will be committed to protecting the legacy of our commonwealth’s public lands and exemplary natural resources for the public good by making their protection and long-term sustainability a priority.
-- Protect our State Parks. Tom Corbett is committed to keeping our nationally-acclaimed state parks open for each and every resident to enjoy and for our local economies to benefit from them as a tourism destination. As Governor, he will address the maintenance and backlog of infrastructure needs of the state park system to ensure that these facilities do not fall into an irreparable state of disrepair.
-- Address DCNR staffing needs. Given the expansion of the Marcellus Shale industry and increased travel to state parks and forests, Tom Corbett will direct the Secretary of DCNR to conduct an immediate assessment of staffing and program needs to determine how best to allocate resources to the department and where funds are most needed.
To support these efforts, he also will direct the Secretary of DCNR to ensure that allocations from the Oil and Gas Fund that are available to DCNR, are being used effectively to support the department’s activities according to the original intent of the fund.
-- Support the Community Conservation Partnership Program. This program provides an important service in applying conservation and outdoor recreation implementation throughout the commonwealth. As Governor, Tom Corbett will work to leverage public- private partnerships to identify dedicated sources of funding to maintain this program.
A full copy of Gov.-Elect Corbett's Environmental Policy paper is available online.
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11/29/2010 |
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