The Legacy

Known for his no-nonsense, blunt style, Maurice K. Goddard served under five Pennsylvania governors as Secretary of Forests and Waters and as the founding Secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources (1955-1979). His legacy as a public servant includes:

• A commitment to professionalism and civil service
• A state park within 25 miles of every Pennsylvanian
• A watershed-scale approach to water management
• Dedicated funding for natural resource conservation—the Oil and Gas Fund, Project 70 and Project 500 bond initiatives
• A profound influence on national conservation policy
• Instrumental in the formation of the Delaware River Basin Commission and Susquehanna River Basin Commission

Early Years

Born in 1912 in Lowell, Massachusetts, Maurice K. Goddard was the son of Norman O. and Susan Kimball Goddard. Maurice spent his childhood in Pretty Prairie, Kansas, where his father was called to a clergy position. After several family moves, he landed in Maine, where he earned a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Maine in 1935.

Upon completion of his degree, he taught for several years at Penn State’s Mont Alto campus, before pursuing a master’s degree in forestry from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1940, he married Ethel Mae Catchpole. The couple had two sons, Kimball and Mark.

Goddard served in World War II on the staff of General Eisenhower where his service earned him two distinguished awards—the Bronze Star and the Legion of Merit. In 1946, after his army stint, he returned to Mont Alto to run the forestry school, and then to the State College main campus to direct the School of Forest Resources, where he remained until 1955.

Mr. Secretary

In January of 1955, Governor George Leader appointed Goddard as his Secretary of Forests and Waters. Under Governor Leader, Goddard worked ardently on obtaining civil service status for his professional staff. Historically, these positions had been political appointments. Goddard felt strongly that civil service status would create continuity and professionalism. Governor Leader signed an executive order requiring minimum qualifications for state forestry personnel in October of 1956; but it would not be until 1963, during the Scranton administration, that the law granting civil service protection would be passed. In reflection upon his state service, Goddard considered this to be one of his greatest accomplishments.

Vision for Expansion of State Parks

In 1955, there were 45 state parks in existence on already-owned state forest lands which were located in remote areas of the state. A number of things helped to fuel Secretary Goddard’s vision of a park within 25 miles of every citizen including a national movement for parks near cities, better roads state-wide, increased automobile ownership, and increased “leisure” time.

Funding the Vision

Demand for outdoor recreation grew by 300% between 1955 and 1961—visitors to state parks increased from 8 million to 24 million during that time period. To address this growing trend, Goddard set up a Bureau of State Parks in 1962 to specialize in park management, officially separating park and forestry operations.

The problem now was how to fund the expansion of parks in Pennsylvania. Knowing that building more parks would cost money, he went to work to establish a dedicated source of funding. In 1955, the creation of the Oil and Gas Lease Fund dedicated revenue from oil and gas leases on state lands for conservation, recreational development and land acquisition. This was followed in 1963 by Project 70, a bond issue that raised $70 million for public lands and facilities. 

Matching federal dollars for Project 70 came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund which was established for recreation development in the eastern states. Revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling from the Gulf of Mexico, provided $100 million to Pennsylvania in the 1960s for the development of state and local parks.

In 1968, to address additional funding demands, Project 500—the Land and Water Conservation Reclamation Act—was passed by Governor Shafer.  This bond issue provided $500 million for land acquisition, recreational facilities and a variety of environmental projects.

Conservation Leadership

In January of 1971, the Department of Environmental Resources (D.E.R.) was created which merged the Departments of Forests and Waters, Mines and Mineral Industries, and other related  responsibilities.  Although Goddard was opposed to the merger, Governor Milton Shapp appointed him Acting Secretary. Goddard was formally appointed Secretary in 1975 and continued to serve the commonwealth until his retirement in 1979. In the same year, the Goddard Chair at the Penn State School of Forestry was created.

In his retirement, Goddard stayed extremely active as a voice for Pennsylvania’s natural resources, serving on the boards of a number of conservation groups. He advocated for establishing a separate agency for parks and forestry; and in 1995, Governor Tom Ridge created the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Goddard died later that same year.

Goddard spent an unprecedented 24 years as a cabinet officer, realizing his vision of a park within 25 miles of every Pennsylvanian. Only six of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are without a state park. During his tenure, Goddard added 45 parks and 130,000 acres of park land, gaining national recognition for Pennsylvania’s state park system. With more than thirty-nine million people visiting state parks by 1977, they began to feel the strain. A limited operating budget created layoffs and delayed maintenance. Funds to acquire state parks has traditionally been easier to come by than money to maintain and operate them—an issue which the state continues to grapple with in both state parks and forests.

Sources: Our Priceless Heritage, Pennsylvania State Parks, Dan Cupper, 1983

Maurice K. Goddard, His Life, Legacy, and Lessons – 2nd Pennsylvania Environmental History Symposium, Penn State University, 4/17/1997

A Walk on the Downhill Side of the Log—The Life of Maurice K.Goddard, Ernest Morrison, 2000

PFA Dedication to Maurice K. Goddard, in PA Forests, Summer 1990

PA DCNR and DEP websites

From Dr. Maurice K. Goddard, Environmental Patriarch, Kenn Marshall, Apprise Magazine, May, 1993

Maurice K. Goddard Legacy Project

The goal of the Maurice K. Goddard Legacy Project is to celebrate the accomplishments of Maurice K. Goddard and to rededicate all Pennsylvanians to his vision and values for the conservation of our natural resources. A variety of projects have been organized to build an awareness of his legacy and share it with all Pennsylvanians.  These include:

• Project kick-off on the Goddard Memorial Trail in Camp Hill where Goddard made his home for nearly fifty years (September 12, 2009)
• Interpretive panels at state parks created under his leadership
• Historic markers at key sites to commemorate his work
• Rededication of the M.K. Goddard Wilderness Area in our state forest at Wykoff Run
• A documentary on the life of M.K. Goddard
• A symposium on the lessons Goddard’s legacy offers for the future

Get Involved —You Can Help Preserve Our Legacy!

Join the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, sponsor a project, participate in the Great Pennsylvania Outdoor Challenge, or volunteer your time at a state park or forest! For more information on how to get involved, contact the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation: 717-236-7644, mmowery-ppff@pa.net, or on the web visit paparksandforests.org. Follow the Goddard Legacy Project and PPFF on Facebook!

Project Partners include:

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society, Penn State University, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, WITF, and Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals

Funding the Legacy

Historic and current programs that enhance, expand and complement parks, forests, and open space.

Project 70

Bond measure, raised $70 million for public lands and facilities, approved by the voters in 1963 and signed into law by Governor Scranton as Act 8 on June 22, 1964:

• $40 million for the Dept. of Forests and Waters to acquire property in 43 urban counties where 95% of Pennsylvanian’s were living at the time
• $10 million to the Fish and Game Commissions for critical state habitat acquisition
• $20 million to the State Planning Board to administer local programs

Project 500

Bond measure approved on May 16, 1967 and signed into law by Governor Shafer as the Land and Water Reclamation Act in 1968:

• $125 million to develop state recreational lands purchased with Project 70 funds
• $75 million to offer as matching grants to local communities to develop parks and open spaces
• $200 million to for abandoned mine reclamation
• $100 million for the construction of local sewage treatment plants

Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (Key 93)

The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act became law in July 1993. The legislation directs 15% of the Realty Transfer Tax collected by the State to be put in the Keystone Fund for distribution to several state agencies. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) receives 65% of the funding for the following:

• 30% for state park and forestry facility rehabilitation and construction
• 25% for grants for Community Recreation
• 10% for grants to Land Trusts

Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener I)

The Legislature approved the establishment of this new fund in 2000. Funding for Growing Greener I comes from additional tipping fees placed on the disposal of municipal waste. DCNR’s portion of the Fund is invested in state park and forestry facilities as well as grants for greenways, trails, open space, natural areas, river corridors and watersheds, community parks and recreation and otherprojects to conserve the biological diversity of the Commonwealth.

Growing Greener Bond Fund (Growing Greener II)

Bond issue approved by the voters in 2005, provides $625 million to address the growing demands for open space conservation, environmental protection and agricultural farm preservation. DCNR’s portion of the bond proceeds is being invested in state park and forests improvements, open space preservation and municipal parks and recreation facilities. DCNR’s bond funds are anticipated to be fully spent by 2010.

Oil and Gas Lease Fund Act

Established in 1955, the Oil and Gas Lease Fund Act was one of the first of its kind in the country. It required that the rents and royalties from the oil and gas program in the Department of Forests and Waters be put into a restricted fund to be used at the discretion of the Secretary for “recreation, conservation, and flood control.” During the Goddard era, the fund was spent on improving and acquiring state parks. From 1955 to 2008, the fund generated more than $154 million dollars for conservation purposes including the purchase and creation of 26 state parks, the acquisition of state forest lands, the development of the Pine Creek Rail Trail, and the support of natural heritage programs. Pennsylvania’s fund is widely seen as the model for the federal government’s Land and Water Conservation Fund (1976).

For over 50 years, the Fund revenues have been dedicated to implementing this concept. While the bulk of the funding has supported infrastructure and land acquisition and investments for our state parks and forests, there has been tension over the funds use.

In 1991, a review of the law was requested by Dr. Goddard whose concern was the fund was being used for non-conservation purposes and resulted in stricter guidelines to help protect the fund.

In 2009, money was removed from the Oil and Gas Fund and moved to the General Fund as part of the budget diverting it from its historical purpose for conservation.

Fears that a feeding frenzy for additional gas leasing would occur have been realized. To-date, 700,000 acres of state forest lands have been leased for gas exploration, with a strong push for additional leasing to help fill gaps in the state budget.

The intention of the Fund was to protect the natural assets of Pennsylvania for all generations to enjoy. The non-renewable resources that will help fund this vision and other conservation investments are just that — not renewable.  When these resources are gone, future generations will not have the opportunity that is before us today.

By Ellen Zeph, Communications Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation. This article originally ran in the Spring 2010 edition of Penns Stewards, the newsletter of the PA Parks and Forests Foundation and was reprinted with permission.