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DCNR Invites Comments On Pennsylvania's 2020-24 Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan

Every five years, states across the nation are required to produce a new statewide recreation plan to help guide their recreation policies, programs, and investments.

The plan is needed to remain eligible for federal grants from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which are used to:

-- Build parks and historic sites

-- Conserve forests, rivers, lakes, and wildlife habitat

-- Provide access to recreation, hunting, and fishing

Pennsylvania has benefitted from more than $178 million in funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for projects across the Commonwealth during the last 55 years.

[Note: This is a separate, broader local, regional and statewide initiative from the focused Penn’s Parks For All Plan for Pennsylvania’s state parks DCNR is also seeking comments on.]

While Pennsylvania is still implementing the recommendations and action of its 2014 Outdoor Recreation, DCNR has begun the process of developing its 2020-2024 plan, which is expected to be released in the spring of 2020.

“This plan allows us to keep a pulse on the latest recreation needs of Pennsylvanians and adapt our strategies and investments to best suit what helps to get people outdoors,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “Outdoor recreation delivers huge benefits for all of us – from driving local economies, to helping us lead healthy, active lifestyles. We all need outdoor recreation in our lives, and this plan makes recommendations on how we can make it accessible to everyone.”

A 39-member Technical Advisory Committee of state agencies and organizations who can bring resources to the planning, funding, and implementation of the plan, has helped develop the draft Plan.

A variety of surveys were also conducted to gauge the opinions of the public, specific enthic groups, and recreational professionals in a number of different ways as part of the planning process.

An online survey was conducted during May and June 2019 to capture the thoughts and opinions of everyday Pennsylvanians who did not have an opportunity to answer the other surveys, but had an interest in outdoor recreation. A total of 8,676 people responded.

Click Here for a summary of those results.

Two focus groups of Latino and Black Pennsylvanians were conducted to garner opinions from two groups that are underrepresented in other survey methods used by DCNR.

Click Here for a summary of the focus group sessions.

The Penn State Center for Survey Research also conducted two Lion Polls to understand outdoor recreation patterns and opinions regarding future recreation land conservation, facility development and management.

Click Here for a summary of the Fall 2018 Poll. Click Here for a summary of the Spring 2019 Poll.

In addition, more than 1,000 recreation providers, including local appointed officials, local elected officials, and park and recreation directors, responded to a survey gauging outdoor recreation services in their local communities and the challenges they face.

Click Here for a summary of those results.

Draft Plan

The results of this work is the Draft 2020-2024 Statewide Outdoor Recommendations and Actions, containing 20 recommendations and more than 100 action items for future outdoor recreation planning.

The recommendations cover a variety of issues, including--

-- Promoting living through outdoor connections

-- Ensuring equity in access to Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation opportunities

-- Sustainable systems - Protecting and adapting our resources

-- Technology - Using new tools to improvement engagement

-- Funding & Economic Development

3 Webinars - Comments

DCNR will hold three opportunities for public input through online public webinars on October 17 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.; October 22 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m; and October 24 from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

All are welcome and encouraged to register for one of the webinars and then take a feedback survey. Registration is available through the Outdoor Recreation Plan webpage.

DCNR will be accepting comments on the recommendations through October 31 through an online survey. A final draft of the plan will be available for public review in January.

For more information, visit DCNR’s Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Plan webpage.

Visit the Get Outdoors PA and Explore PA Trails website for outdoor recreation opportunities across the state.

For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog, Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

NewsClips:

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