The resources linked below are designed to offer trail advocates, organizations, municipalities, counties, and others implementing trail and greenway projects access to the best practices, which are often referenced by trail planning and design practitioners.
Greenways Resources
▼ PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
▼ Non-Motorized Trail Resources
Rails to Trails Conservancy Trail Building Toolbox
National Trails Training Partnership — Resources and Library
International Mountain Bicycling Association — Trail Building Resources
USDA Forest Service — Trail Management Toolbox
USDA Forest Service — Trail Construction and Maintenance Handbook
▼ Motorized Trail Resources
Pennsylvania Trail Design Manual for Off Highway Recreational Vehicles
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
The American Council of Snowmobile Associations
Snowmobile Storage Guide
Snowmobile Maintenance
▼ Water Trail Resources
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Water Trails Handbook
▼ Pedestrian and Bicycle Resources
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — Active Transportation
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Image Library
U.S. Department of Transportation — Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
America Bikes
Bikability Checklist
Walkability Checklist
▼ Safe Routes to Schools
Pennsylvania Safe Routes to Schools
National Safe Routes to Schools
▼ Environmental Ethics
▼ Model Easement Agreements
▼ Conservation Resources
▼ Sustainable Development
▼ Economic Development
Clarion River Recreation Assessment
Trail Towns — Capturing Trail Based Tourism, A Guide For Pennsylvania Communities
Pine Creek 2006 Rail Trail User Survey and Economic Impact Analysis
Trail Utilization Study: Analysis of the Trail Systems within the Oil Heritage Region
Great Allegheny Passage: Trail User Survey and Business Survey Report
Rails to Trails Conservancy — Trail User Surveys and Economic Impact: A Comparison of Trail User Expenditures
▼ Ecological Resources by County
Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program — County Natural Heritage Inventories
▼ Marcellus Shale Resources
FracTracker — Pennsylvania Data
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection — Marcellus Shale
Penn State Cooperative Extension — Local Government Resources
Penn State Cooperative Extension — Woodland Owners Resources
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania — Natural Gas Extraction
▼ Pennsylvania Trail Advocates
Keystone Trails Association
Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association
Pennsylvania Off-Highway Vehicle Association
Pennsylvania Equine Council
▼ Pennsylvania Wilds
Potential Funding Sources
The development of a greenways network can be costly and requires a long-term strategy to access a variety of federal, state, and private sector funding opportunities. Funding programs designed to conserve natural resources, develop recreational trails, and create transportation improvements are all potential sources of grants for implementation of the recommendations contained herein. Most require some form of local match, and sometimes one grant opportunity can be utilized as “local match” for another grant opportunity. This match requirement is often a barrier for rural communities.
Any funding strategy should leverage local resources as well. Private and non-profit foundations in the communities and region are important sources of funding that should not be overlooked when assembling funding strategies. In addition, efforts should be made to create public-private partnerships and to seek in-kind contributions from local businesses in the communities and the region.
It is important to thoroughly research and understand the type of organization, their focus, and their grant-making requirements and conditions before applying for foundation or corporate giving grants. There are many sources of information on foundations and corporate giving opportunities. We have found the following useful: