This web area surveys the major state-administered funding programs for voluntary land conservation.

Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener)
Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Program
Walking Around Money
Forest Legacy

Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund

The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act was signed into law in July 1993 after being approved 48-0 in the Senate and 196-3 in the House. The Act directed 15% of the state’s Real Estate Transfer Tax to the Keystone Fund, establishing a dedicated and permanent funding source for recreation, parks, conservation, and other programming. That November in a referendum, voters placed their own endorsement on the Keystone Fund when 67% voted in favor of supplementing the newly created fund with $50 million in bond revenues. This makes the Keystone Fund one of the few—if not the only—state program to receive overwhelming support by both legislature and referendum.

Since its inception, the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund has helped communities help themselves. Keystone has:

• Supported more than 1,600 community park and recreation projects. $77.40 million was granted to acquire land for municipal parks, develop park facilities and programs, and upgrade existing park infrastructure.
• Protected 35,000 acres of critical natural areas. $28.13 million was granted for 164 land trust projects.
• Built 500 miles of recreational trails. 139 rail-trail projects were supported with $6.97 million in grants.
• Supported community-based Rivers Conservation planning and implementation projects. 139 projects covering half of the Commonwealth were supported with $6.54 million.

When the next Keystone grant awards were made in spring 2002, an estimated 260 new projects were added to the above list and funded with the $19.3 million allocated for that year. This included a grand total of $144 million granted to more than 2,100 projects.

The grants require a minimum 50% match from the recipient municipality or nonprofit organization. Consequently, the state’s investment in community-based parks, recreation, and conservation is more than doubled, creating a total project value in excess of $290 million.

Municipalities and nonprofits sought $80 million in Keystone support in the current grant round to leverage more than $80 million in local funding. With only $19.3 million available, the demand on the Keystone Fund already outstrips resources by a 4 to 1 margin.

Keystone has also supported the improvement of State Park and Forest facilities. $84 million in repairs and upgrades of sewer and water infrastructure, bridges, roads, bath houses, docks, marinas, and other park facilities were completed—740 projects in all.

Go to Laws and Regulations to view the enabling act for the Keystone Fund.

Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener)

The Environmental Stewardship Fund was signed into law in 1999. In 2002, the Pennsylvania General Assembly assigned a dedicated revenue stream to the Fund from an increase in the landfill tipping fee.

In its first three years, the Growing Greener program has greatly benefited our communities, environment, and economy. Program expenditures as of 2002 will:

• Reclaim 4,402 acres of abandoned mine lands.
• Restore 370 miles of streams polluted by acid mine drainage.
• Plug 1,242 oil and gas wells.
• Help protect over 360 farms and 40,000 acres of productive farmland.
• Create or restore 4,261 acres of wetlands.
• Complete 188 miles of stream buffer restoration.
• Provide $125 million in badly needed improvements to state forests and parks;
• Organize 61 volunteer-based watershed groups.
• Complete 156 assessment, restoration, and protection plans.
• Fund $61 million in PennVEST sewer and water projects.

Growing Greener grants went to partnerships of municipalities, watershed associations, conservation districts, sporting groups, schools, and conservation organizations for a wide variety of projects in almost every legislative district. This funding support has mobilized citizens across Pennsylvania to volunteer and actively work to improve their communities.

But much more needs to be done. DEP alone has received 2,180 applications for $520 million in funding for environmental improvement work. DEP funded 790 of these applications for a total of $102.3 million. That investment returned more than $139.5 million in matching funds and in-kind services. DCNR has awarded over $14 million in Growing Greener grants and generated over $23 million in matches. Growing Greener has generated nearly $1.50 in matching funds for the environment for every $1.00 in state money.

Go to Laws and Regulations to view the enabling act and amendments for the Environmental Stewardship Fund.

Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Program

Click here to view the programs administered by Pennsylvania's Bureau of Farmland Preservation to preserve farmland including the following:

• Agricultural Security Area Program
• Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Programs
• Land Trust Reimbursement Grant Program

Walking Around Money

UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Explanation of Community Revitalization Grants AKA WAMs.

Forest Legacy

UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Summary and link for new window at Bureau of Forestry.