04/22/24 - 117 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/9bh4zbtr
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Success Stories Offered On 1-Year Anniversary Of State Outdoor Recreation Plan
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The state outdoor recreation plan Pennsylvania Outdoors: The Keystone for Healthy Living inspired a number of projects and initiatives in the first year since its release. A newly posted 14-page report outlines a number of success stories related to the four goals of the plan.
Successes include DCNR worked collaboratively with PennDOT in advancing projects that were of interest to both agencies through the PA Community Transportation Initiative, which set aside $60 million for 2009-2012.
Goals of the selected projects include supporting local economic development; encouraging walk-able, multi-modal, mixed use corridors; enhancing the existing transportation network; and improving connectivity.
These cooperative funded projects included: the Brandywine Creek Trail Feasibility Study in Chester County; the Lehigh Riverfront Development Plan in the Lehigh Valley; the Pine Creek Rail Trail/Jersey Shore Trail Connector Project in Lycoming County and the Lewisburg Area Recreation Authority (LARA) Rail Trail Project in Union County.
A partnership of DCNR, the Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Environmental Counciland others made great strides in advancing the plan’s recommendations for improving and expanding water trails in the state including updated maps, proposing House Resolution 884 (Levdansky-D-Allegheny) to conduct an economic impacts study of the benefits of water trails to communities and technical assistance workshops.
A new report by the Green Space Alliance published in November 2010, Return on Investment, makes the economic case for protecting open space in southeastern Pennsylvania.
DCNR led by example with an overhaul of its own Community Conservation and Partnerships Program grants by promoting green practices and prioritizing them for funding.
The department’s outreach to communities about its Community Conservation Partnership grant program included webinars for potential grantees this year and workshops across the state, as well as numerous exhibits at conferences, publications and speaking engagements.
The plan also reviews the goals and recommendations and outlines a call to action for the next several years. Readers are encouraged to post updates and success stories at the PA Outdoor Recreation Plan webpage.
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4/4/2011 |
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