Department of Conservation and Natural Resources official logo. A blue and green keystone graphic with the letters D C N R in white. Separated by a blue, vertical line, there is text that says Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Bureau of Recreation and Conservation
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Recreation for all.

Featured Project: Partnership Effort Expands Recreation Options in Northeast Pennsylvania
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry will soon add a new, 1,100-acre state forest tract in Lehigh Township, Carbon County.
The Trust for Public Land acquired the property at the end of 2024 with grants from DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Bureau of Forestry, who will be the property’s eventual owner.
C2P2 grant support came from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.
This multi-partner effort resulted in new public access to a pristine tract of forest at a prime location in northeast Pennsylvania.
The property will “enable the nearby Borough of Weatherly to develop a trail connecting with Lehigh Gorge State Park and, potentially, the Delaware and Lehigh Trail,” says Ellen Lott, Pennsylvania Land Protection Manager for the Trust for Public Land.
The property is adjacent to both Lehigh Gorge State Park and State Game Land 141. Its location expands outdoor recreation opportunities while protecting wildlife habitat and supporting local economies.
water rushes through Black Creek Gorge a trail winds through a forest
Photo credits: Greg Socha, the Trust for Public Land

Chesapeake Bay Program Meets Goal of 300 New Public Access Sites by 2025
A woman and child observe the water at a new kayak launch at Siebert Park
The Chesapeake Bay Program recently announced that it has met its goal of creating 300 new public fishing and boating access sites in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed between 2010 and 2025.
The program is a multi-state partnership covering Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
In 2024 alone, the participating states identified 28 new public access sites within the watershed. Ten of those sites were in Pennsylvania.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has supported many of the new access locations with grants from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program.
A couple recent examples of DCNR-funded projects include a new portage around a historic dam at Heishman’s Mill and a new kayak launch at Siebert Park, both in Cumberland County.

Community Conservation Partnerships Program Wraps Another Big Round of Grant Applications
stylized dollar sign
The annual Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant application round closed on April 2. It was another big year, with more than 420 applications submitted requesting a combined $120 million.
What happens next with those applications? Over the spring and summer, staff at the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation will review and score each application. Using those scores, the bureau then recommends projects for approval based on available funds.
When will you know if your project has been awarded? Funding announcements typically occur in the fall, though the exact timing varies from year to year.
Good luck to all who submitted applications! We look forward to reading and reviewing what you submitted.

Congratulations Pennsylvania Route 6 on Winning the Scenic America Byways Madness Contest!
Congratulations to Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Corridor, one of Pennsylvania’s 12 designated Heritage Areas! The scenic driving route across northern Pennsylvania has won the 2025 Byways Madness contest run by Scenic America.
The contest is a national bracket-style competition that highlights America’s most beloved scenic byways. The winners of each round were determined by public voting.
Route 6 prevailed against stiff competition. It triumphed over some of the country’s most famous driving routes including the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive.

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