March 25, 2026

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) strives to be a leader in Pennsylvania’s recreation and conservation communities. That’s why, as this e-newsletter releases, multiple DCNR staff are presenting at the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS) annual conference.

The conference is Pennsylvania’s largest annual gathering of park and recreation professionals. More than 400 people typically attend the conference from local, state, federal, and nonprofit organizations.

The 2026 conference theme is “Powered by Play” and features more than 50 educational sessions.

DCNR staff actively participate in the conference. The sessions you’ll spot us at this week are:

DCNR also helps fund the conference as part of a grant to PRPS. Support comes from the Environmental Stewardship Fund.

Local partners involved in the project include the Underground Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, the African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania, and Bethel AME’s Living the Experience.

The event will kick off on June 19 with a free outdoor screening of the 1989 movie “Glory.” There will also be a panel discussion about central Pennsylvanians who fought with the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, one of the first Black regiments in the Civil War.

On Saturday, participants will follow in the footsteps of freedom seekers across the Mifflin Farm to the Susquehanna River. At the water’s edge, attendees will board kayaks and paddle across the river to Columbia Crossing River Trails Center.

In the 19th century, Columbia Crossing was the site of Stephen Smith and William Whipper’s lumberyard. Smith and Whipper were two of the wealthiest Black men in America, and their lumberyard was a stop on the journey to freedom.

Check back with the Susquehanna National Heritage Area website as more information becomes available on this exciting event.

Less than a week remains to apply for All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and Snowmobile grants in the spring 2026 round.

Applications will be accepted until 4:00 PM on Tuesday, March 31.

All applications should be submitted electronically through the Grants Customer Service Portal.

In last year’s spring and fall grant rounds, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded a combined $3.5 million to support ATV and snowmobile trails and trail facilities across Pennsylvania.

Eligible projects include planning, land acquisition, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, purchase of equipment for construction and maintenance, and development of educational programs.

Funding for these grants comes from the fees riders pay to register their ATVs and snowmobiles in Pennsylvania.

The annual Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant application period is open through 4:00 PM on Thursday, April 30.

During 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: Make sure all parts of your grant application tell the same story.

Your budget, scope of work, and site development drawing should all be consistent. If you say you’re going to do something in your scope of work, make sure that item also appears on your budget and drawing.

A classic example is ADA access. Don’t just tell us you’re going to make your park ADA accessible. Show us. Clearly mark the ADA parking spaces and pathways on your site development drawing. Include line items for them in your budget.

The more consistent you can make all the parts of your application, the clearer picture you’ll paint of the work you want to do. And the clearer picture you paint for the grant reviewers, the more likely you are to get funded.