Pennsylvania Outdoors Ec R the Keystone for Healthy Living Or Do Ut O E Iv Ns He 20 Pre 09– Om 2013 Statewide C
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lan n P tio rea Pennsylvania Outdoors ec R The Keystone for Healthy Living or do ut O e iv ns he 20 pre 09– om 2013 Statewide C www.paoutdoorrecplan.com lan into action. his p ut t o p e t ast d h an om isd w The preparation of this plan was financed in part through a Land and Water ith Conservation Fund planning grant and the plan was approved by the National Park k w Service, U.S. Department of the Interior under the provisions for the Federal Land or w and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (Public Law 88-578). uld We sho National Park Service – Joe DiBello, Jack Howard, David Lange and Roy Cortez September 2009 Contents Acknowledgements........................................................................................................2 Governor’s.Letter............................................................................................................3 Executive.Summary........................................................................................................4 Introduction.....................................................................................................................6 Public.Participation.Process.........................................................................................10 Research.and.Findings:.What.Pennsylvanians.Say.About.Outdoor.Recreation.........12 Goals.and.Recommendations.......................................................................................46 Funding.Needs.and.Recommendations....................................................................... 94 Plan.Implementation.Matrix.......................................................................................102 List.of.Acronyms..........................................................................................................112 Appendices (on attached disk) A:.Pennsylvania.Wetlands.Update B:.Governor’s.Outdoor.Task.Force.Report C:.Public.Input.Report D:.Pennsylvania.Resident.Survey.(full.report). E:.State.Park.Visitor.Survey.(full.report) F:.Pennsylvania.Trail.Gap.Study.(full.report) G:.Urban.Youth.and.Baby.Boomers.Facilitated.Discussions.(full.report) H:.Case.Studies.and.Best.Practices. lan into action. his p ut t o p e t ast d h an om isd w ith w ork uld w We sho P A OUTDOORRECPLAN. C OM 1 Technical Advisory Committee Pennsylvania Outdoors: The Keystone for Healthy Living Acknowledgements The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania would like to acknowledge the many contributors who provided their time, expertise and support to the successful development of Pennsylvania’s 2009 - 2013 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Technical Advisory PA Fish and Boat Commission PA Council of Trout Unlimited PA Wilds Planning Team Committee Members Doug Austen* Deb Nardone Jerry S. Walls Laurel Anders* Caren Glotfelty, Chair PA Downtown Center Pocono Mountain Visitor’s Bureau Heinz Foundation PA Game Commission Bill Fontana Mathilda Sheptak Joe Neville Ann Pilcher PA Equine Council State Agencies PA Historical and Museum Bud Wills Rails-to-Trails Conservancy PA Department of Agriculture Commission Gwen Wills Pat Tomes Cheryl Cook Michael Bertheaud PA Land Trust Association RecCare, Inc. Jared Grissinger Barbara Franco Andy Loza Lynda Mitchell Doug Kilgore Partner Agencies PA Off-Highway Vehicle Richard King Mellon Foundation PA Department of Aging Allegheny Ridge Corporation/ Association Scott Izzo Becky Fortenbaugh Heritage PA Fred Brown Stairways Behavioral Health PA Department of Community Jane Sheffield Bob Conner Lee Steadman* and Economic Development Denny Mann American Rivers Dennis Puko Three Rivers Rowing Association Liz Garland PA Parks and Forestry Foundation Shelley Speirs Richard Butler* Marci Mowery Fermata, Inc. PA Department of Corrections Venture Outdoors Brenda Adams-Weyant PA Recreation and Park Society Marcel Tassin Eric Lindgren Robert Griffith* Heritage Conservancy Rob Walters PA Department of Education Kim Woodward Cliff David Shirley Black Wildlands Conservancy PA State Snowmobile Association Beth Olanoff* International Mountain Bike Chris Kocher Bob Kirchner Patricia Vathis Association Wilderness Voyageur Frank Maguire PA State Association of PA Department of Eric Martin* Township Supervisors Environmental Protection Keystone Trails Association Cory Adams Denise Brinley Curt Ashenfelter Elam Herr Bob Pitcavage Thyra Sperry Editor PPL PA Department of Health Northcentral PA Conservancy Ben Moyer* Don Bernhard C. Scott Bucher Renee Carey Document and Website Design Penn State PA Department of Transportation Outdoor Writer Graphics and Design Dr. Ralph Smith Suzanne Itzko Jon D. Pries State College, PA Hugh McGowan PA State Hershey Center for PA Center for Environmental Photo Credits Chris Metka Nutrition and Activity Promotion Education A special thank you to these Jim Ritzman Allison Topper* Kathleen Cowles Paul* organizations and individuals for Farah Kauffman various photos in this plan: Trail Town Program Department of Conservation and The Pennsylvania State University Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau Natural Resources Project Staff Research Team Philadelphia Parks Alliance Brenda Barrett Jeff Johns Elizabeth Covelli Dr. Albert Luloff Venture Outdoors Robert Barth Diane Kripas Dr. James Finley Dr. Andrew Mowen Mid-State Resource Conservation Matthew Beaver Gretchen Leslie Dr. Alan Graefe Nate Trauntvein & Development Council Heather Bennett Sara Nicholas Dr. Mark Ivy Dr. Harry Zinn City of Scranton Roy Brubaker John Norbeck Dan Devlin Mark Palerino National Park Service Cindy Dunn Adrian Stouffer PA Game Commission Sue Felker Kent Taylor Mark James Jim Grace Vanyla Tierney Hal Korber Jodie Gribik Howard Miller *Member of Governor’s Outdoor Task Force 2 2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 3 . P E N NSYLVANIA. O utdoor R ecreation P lan C OMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA O FFICE OF THE GOVERNOR H ARRISBURG THE GOVERNOR September 14, 2009 Dear Outdoor Enthusiast, Pennsylvaniaʼs rich outdoor heritage and remarkable scenic beauty make it a natural for recreation of all kinds, for hunters pursuing elk in the PA Wilds to kayakers negotiating the rough waters of the Youghiogheny River. Pennsylvaniaʼs scenic parks, vast network of trails, community greenways and bicycle paths offer our citizens stunning ways to be active outdoors. This outdoor recreation plan calls on each of us to engage in efforts to improve our recreational resources, to make a personal effort to be more active and to take a greater role in being stewards of our natural resources. Perhaps most importantly, this plan offers a strategy to ensure that the next generation of Commonwealth citizens – our youth – continue to conserve our park and forestlands, lead efforts to make communities more hospitable to walkers and bikers, and hand down the great tradition of Pennsylvanians spending time outdoors to their children. In the decade ahead, Baby Boomers will retire and look to spend their leisure time exploring our natural bounty. We hope that more young people of all walks of life will seek refuge and recreation in our outdoors. Traditional recreations like hunting and fishing – still huge engines of economic growth – will have new participants. And cutting edge recreation – like bouldering and geocaching – will expand our vision of what it means to be active outdoors. The Pennsylvania Outdoors: The Keystone for Healthy Living was developed with extensive input from citizens and experts across the Commonwealth. It is an inspiring and practical guide for working together to nurture our lands and our lives. We should work with wisdom and haste to put this plan into action. Sincerely, Edward G. Rendell Governor P A OUTDOORRECPLAN . C OM 3 Executive Summary 1) Resident Survey that asked Pennsylvania Outdoors: The Keystone for Healthy Living residents across the Common- wealth how they recreate, what they would like to see changed, Every five years, states across the Outdoors: The Keystone for Healthy and — in a series of questions new nation are required to produce Living, is divided into two sections. for this plan — how they think a State Comprehensive Outdoor The first half presents the findings about conservation in terms of Recreation Plan (SCORP) to remain of four original research efforts personal commitments and eligible to receive federal Land and conducted for the plan. The second resource needs; Water Conservation Funds (LWCF). half presents a series of recommen- 2) State Park Visitor Survey that The plan is designed to direct the dations and action steps that were included lengthy interviews at six use of LWCF funds that may come developed from the research findings geographically dispersed parks to the state. The required elements and from extensive public and across the Commonwealth; of the plan include a statewide stakeholder input. 3) Trail Gap Survey that asked major assessment of outdoor recreation The planning effort for this docu- trail organizations in the state to needs and supplies, as well as an ment began in 2007. The Pennsylva- identify critical gaps and areas of action plan for future steps to nia Department of Conservation and the state in need of trails, along help enhance outdoor recreation. Recreation (DCNR), the state agency with a survey of trail “experts” on Additional requirements include designated as the plan liaison, began key issues and priorities related to an update on the status of the state’s to identify the research needed to trail development; and wetland resources (Appendix A), understand the state of the state’s out- 4) Facilitated interviews with urban and extensive opportunity