​Friends of Rothrock State Forest Receives $365,700 Grant

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Friends of Rothrock State Forest, a chapter of The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation, has been awarded a $365,700 grant to develop, create, and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities. The grant was part of more than $11 million awarded by The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for 37 trail development projects across Pennsylvania. Funding for the grant was provided by the Recreational Trails Program, an assistance program of the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.
 
Money received from the grant will fund phase one of the Rothrock State Forest Trail Assessment, which takes multiple approaches to assess the current conditions and address the sustainability of the trail system throughout Rothrock State Forest. The first phase of implementation specifically addresses connecting the greenway leading from Whitehall Road across Route 45 and into Musser Gap. Phase one comprises three sections of new, multi-use trail throughout Musser Gap, up to and over the ridge formed by Tussey Mountain, ultimately leading to Pine Swamp Road.
 
Dan Trew, Chairman of the Friends of Rothrock State Forest had this to say about the grant award. “The Friends of Rothrock is excited to begin working towards a more connected forest utilizing state-of-the-art, sustainable trail building techniques. This grant was made possible by all the hard work of volunteers with the Friends group; with actual miles going on the ground the need for more volunteers is paramount. Anyone interested in helping give back to the forest is invited to join us in shaping the future of passive recreation in Rothrock State Forest.”
 
“Investments in our parks and forests through private philanthropy and volunteer time is an important role that visitors can play to ensure the health and viability of our state lands,” said Marci Mowery, President of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation. “We applaud the Friends of Rothrock for their hard work and we extend our appreciation to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for recognizing the important value this project brings to residents and visitors alike.”