Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania forest landowners can now apply for reimbursements of up to $25,000 through a new $5 million program designed to strengthen private woodlands against pests, disease, and the impacts of climate change.
The PA Woodland Resilience Enhancement Network (PWREN), launched by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Forestry in partnership with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, is the first program of its kind in the Commonwealth. With more than 70 percent of Pennsylvania’s forests in private ownership, PWREN will empower landowners to protect clean water, wildlife habitat, and the long-term health of forests that are essential to local economies.
“Private landowners are critical to the future of Pennsylvania’s forests,” said Pennsylvania State Forester Seth Cassell. “PWREN is a key part of how we help landowners take the first step toward healthy, productive woodlands that will benefit future generations.”
Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, the program will reimburse landowners for forest management activities and provide access to technical expertise and peer networks.
“Healthy forests are essential for clean air, clean water, and climate resilience,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “Through this program, we’re making it easier for landowners to take practical, science-based steps to strengthen their woodlands and ensure they can thrive for decades to come.”
“By working together with DCNR, we are helping landowners invest in forests that are not only vital to Pennsylvania but also to the health of the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed,” said Kate Fritz, CEO of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. “PWREN will make sure landowners—especially those historically underserved—have the tools and resources they need to steward their land.”
PWREN is open to landowners with between 10 and 2,500 acres of forest anywhere in Pennsylvania. Support may include:
- Forest management activities that improve forest health
- Customized woodland plans tailored to each property
- One-on-one support from DCNR service foresters, free of charge
- Connections to technical and financial resources beyond PWREN
- Local learning networks to share knowledge and best practices
The program is especially focused on reaching underserved landowners who may not have had access to forestry resources in the past.
To get started, landowners should contact their local DCNR service forester, who will provide a free site visit, recommend practices, and help with the PWREN application.
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay will review applications and work with DCNR to carry out approved projects.
In 2024, Governor Josh Shapiro highlighted that Pennsylvania’s portion of the watershed is significantly improving because the Commonwealth has brought people together and invested in Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.
Since 2021 Pennsylvania has invested more than $580 million in on-the-ground projects to improve local water quality in the bay watershed. This includes more than $61 million in Growing Greener grants, more than $92 million in farmland preservation and conservation projects, and nearly $9 million to plant forest buffers and restore urban tree canopy.
During the past five years Pennsylvania also has added three new state parks in the watershed and DCNR has led with increased funding and technical assistance in planting streamside forest buffers across the Commonwealth, leading all Bay states in buffers planted.
Learn more about Woodland Stewardship Networks on the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay website. Find information about PWREN and managing your woods on the DCNR website.
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