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    Community Resilience

    Sustainable Community Grants Programs at DCNR

    The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) is a leader in building partnerships that advance conservation, stewardship, and equitable access to Pennsylvania’s natural and historic resources. Unlike the Bureaus of Forestry and State Parks, BRC does not own or manage public lands. Instead, it focuses on strategic investments that empower communities — many of which directly support climate resilience.

    Through strategic partnerships across the Commonwealth millions of acres of publicly accessible land have been protected and made available to Pennsylvanians. This includes eased lands, 6,429 local parks totaling more than 200,000 acres of community open spaces and natural areas. These outcomes are made possible through the grant programs BRC administer, which remain central to protecting existing acreage and expanding conserved lands in collaboration with local agencies and organizations.

    BRC’s funding strategy prioritizes projects that build climate-resilient communities and ecosystems. Key focus areas include:

    • Conservation of critical habitats, forested watersheds, wetlands, and riparian corridors (land along waterways)
    • Creation of green connections between public and conserved lands
    • Expansion of public access to waterways and watershed improvements (e.g., tree planting, riparian buffers)
    • Recreation infrastructure that incorporates green design to mitigate flooding, reduce heat, and improve habitat

    These priorities guide DCNR's grantmaking and ensure that local communities are better equipped to adapt to climate-related challenges. However, in recent years we have seen increased climate-related impacts on public recreation infrastructure:

    • Flooding and drought have eroded trails, degraded playground surfaces, and damaged bridges and parking areas
    • Habitat enhancement efforts (e.g., tree planting, buffer restoration, lawn conversions) have faced establishment challenges or been compromised
    • Rising demand for outdoor spaces that offer heat relief has created land management pressures, requiring careful balancing of public access and ecological protection

    Climate related challenges lead to higher development and maintenance costs and increased demand from both the public and municipal leaders for accessible, resilient recreation and conservation projects. The recommendations below propose strategic climate goals for BRC, thinking specifically about how BRC can support municipalities and non-profits to manage public land and critical habitat that addresses planetary boundaries and supports the social foundations impacted by climate change.  

    Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants

    The Community Conservation Partnerships Program — or C2P2 — builds connections between Pennsylvanians and the outdoors by supporting recreational improvements, natural resource conservation, and community revitalization efforts.

    Learn About the Grants DCNR Offers