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Recreation for all.

Featured Project: Finding the Black Canallers of the Anthracite Region
Circa 1895 photo of Jim Jackson, a shoveler on the Delaware and Hudson Canal
This circa 1895 photo shows Jim Jackson, a "shoveler" on the Delaware and Hudson Canal.
The National Canal Museum, a signature program of Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, has been working to better understand and preserve the history of Black canal workers along anthracite canals of the United States.
Prior to 2022, there were few documented Black canal workers. Staff at the National Canal Museum combed through census records, newspaper articles, locktender tags, and even an 1872 court case to expand the list.
The work was hard, thanks in part to a 20-year gap in the census record caused by a fire in the Commerce Department Building in 1921 that damaged many records.
But the work has paid off, as the team has steadily raised awareness of the contributions of Black Americans to many anthracite canals throughout the eastern United States, most notably the Delaware Canal and Lehigh Navigation, both located within the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.
The project has also helped the museum make connections with descendants and other historical organizations to continue finding and naming those whose contributions have long been overlooked.
This project was funded through a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources supports Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor programs with funding from the Heritage Areas Program.

Delaware River Named Pennsylvania's 2025 River of the Year
aerial view of a portion of the Delaware River meandering through forested hills
Two people in a canoe paddle on the Delaware River with forested hills in the background
The Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania has been selected by a public vote as the state’s 2025 River of the Year.
The Delaware River is of historical, recreational, and natural importance to the country. The river that marks Washington’s crossing, the turning point of the Revolutionary War, it was crucial in the industrial revolution. Now the Delaware River Port is the largest freshwater port in the world.
The river received the award following a round of public voting. The public was invited to vote online for the River of the Year, choosing from among three waterways nominated.
Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition nominated the Delaware River and will receive a $15,000 Leadership Grant to help fund a slate of year-long 2025 River of the Year activities.
“The Delaware River brings together communities, organizations, and agencies committed to protecting and enjoying its beauty,” said Mark Zakutansky of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Chair of the Delaware River Sojourn Steering Committee. “As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Delaware River Sojourn, we invite everyone to paddle its waters, discover its rich history, and join a vibrant community of river stewards.”

New Video: Peer and Circuit Rider Grants
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently published a new tutorial video about Peer and Circuit Rider grants.
These grants help municipal governments and municipal agencies study recreation and conservation issues. They can also help provide capacity to hire regional park, recreation, and conservation professionals.
Unlike most DCNR grants, Peer and Circuit Rider grants are open for applications year-round.
The new video provides tips including what kinds of projects can be funded, who is eligible, and how these projects work.
If you have questions about these grants after watching the video, please contact your regional advisor.
Tutorial video with tips on the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Peer and Circuit Rider grants

Funding Opportunity: Pennsylvania River Sojourns Grants Now Available
paddlers join together on a river sojourn
The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) has announced the opening of the 2025 Pennsylvania River Sojourns Grant cycle. Grants are available on a competitive basis for single and multi-day paddling events on Pennsylvania’s waterways.
Sojourns must incorporate significant educational programming, and be open to all participants (i.e., private trips are not eligible). Applicants can request up to $1,000 per on water day.
Applications are due March 14, 2025 by 5:00 PM.

Grant Application Tip
stylized dollar bill symbol
The annual Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant application period is open through 4:00 PM on Wednesday, April 2.
All through the grant round, we’ll include tips in this e-news to help you submit the most competitive application you can.
This issue’s tip: Continue to reference the 2020 – 2024 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) in your grant application.
Even though a draft of the new 2025 – 2029 SCORP is available, it’s still a draft. For this spring’s grant round, you should still use the older plan when answering the question about what actions your project will help advance.
Remember too that you need to reference actions from the plan in your response. Use pages 85-91 to find those actions. The actions are the ones with letters next to them in the table.

Dates to Remember
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