PA Environment Digest

Share this:

PA Parks & Forests Foundation Now Accepting Nominations For 2025 Parks & Forests Awards

On December 6, the PA Parks and Forests Foundation announced it is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Annual Parks and Forests Awards. Nominations are due December 13.

Each year the Awards recognize the exemplary programs, services, staff, and volunteers that have made a positive impact on the state’s parks and forests.

With a mission of stewardship through volunteerism and education, PPFF’s annual awards serve to recognize those who share in the commitment of conserving and enhancing our state’s natural resources, help to ensure a welcoming environment for all in the outdoors, and strive to protect public lands for future generations.

The nominations will then be reviewed by a panel of PPFF Board members and special guests. The award ceremony will be held at Little Buffalo State Park, in Perry County on May 13, 2025.

Award Categories

The award categories for public nomination include:

-- Park of the Year – This award is designed to recognize a park’s exemplary or innovative work in any or all of the following: customer service; education, programming or recreation; stewardship of the natural, cultural or historic assets; and/or accommodation of special needs of visitors.

-- Forest of the Year – This award is designed to recognize a forest district for its innovative and exemplary work in both forest management and recreation for a wide range of activities which include: the ability to provide opportunities for healthful, low-density recreational opportunities that are compatible with maintaining the integrity of forest ecosystems; to provide information and assistance to the public while ensuring public safety; and to promote and effectively use volunteers to enhance the Bureau of Forestry’s recreational programming, planning and development activities.

-- Volunteerism Awards – Up to three awards per year are given for recognition of achievements made by individuals, volunteer groups, or PPFF chapters. These awards honor those who have made a lasting, positive impression on the park or forest that they serve through Volunteerism, Improvement projects, or Education.

-- Young Volunteer of the Year – This award recognizes a significant contribution to a park or forest by a person under the age of 25. The contribution could be in volunteer hours, a significant project, an innovative idea, or more.

Awards, not available for public nomination, will also be presented in the following categories to awardees selected by the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation Board.

--- Cliff Jones Keystone Legacy Award – This top honor recognizes an outstanding contribution to the protection and/or enhancement to the park and forest system in Pennsylvania.

-- Joseph Ibberson Government Award – Given to a person or department at any level of government, this award recognizes the stewardship work of Pennsylvania’s state park and state forest systems.

-- President’s Award – The President’s Award is designed to recognize outstanding citizens or businesses who have made an impact in protecting open space, conservation, outdoor recreation, or volunteerism.

Visit the PPFF 2025 Annual Parks and Forests Awards webpage for all the details and the nomination form (bottom of the page). Questions should be directed to Marci Mowery at mmowery-ppff@pa.net or call 717-236-7644.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

Visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation’s Events webpage and DCNR’s Calendar of Events for activities happening near you.

Visit Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA for recreation areas near you.

For more information on programs, initiatives, special events and how you can get involved, visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Foundation, Like them on Facebook or Follow them on Twitter or tune in to their YouTube Channel. Click Here to become a member of the Foundation.

Resource Link:

-- Interns Wanted: DEP, DCNR Now Accepting Applications For Paid Internships [PaEN]

Related Articles:

-- Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Recreation Economy Grows To $19 Billion In 2023, Supporting Thousands Of Jobs and Creating Economic Opportunity Across The Commonwealth [PaEN]

-- PA Office Of Outdoor Recreation Hosts Dec. 11 Webinar On Release Of 2023 Data Showing Tremendous Growth In PA’s Outdoor Recreation Economy [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Defense Foundation Files Court Action Challenging Use Of ATVs For Recreation In Northcentral PA State Forests Resulting In 2,000+ Miles Of Illegal ATV Trails [PaEN]

-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation Now Accepting Nominations For 2025 Parks & Forests Awards [PaEN]

-- DCNR Announces $3.4 Million Investment In Point State Park Ahead Of NFL Draft, America 250 Celebrations In Pittsburgh

-- DCNR Awards More Than $372,000 In Wild Resource Conservation Program Grants To Help Protect Pennsylvania’s Native Biodiversity [PaEN]

-- Natural Lands, Landowners Starr & Howard Offenger Partner To Preserve Historical Farmstead In Cumberland County [PaEN]

-- Dept. Of Agriculture Encourages Pennsylvanians To Donate A Tree Through ‘Trees For Troops’ To Brighten Servicemembers’ Holidays

NewsClips: