Lumber Heritage Region Awarded $300,000 in Grants Through DCNR - The Lumber Heritage Region

Exciting Plans for the Grant

This funding will enable us to:

Offer a Mini-Grant Program: Providing crucial financial support for local projects.

Restore a Forest Fire Tower: Preserving an important piece of our heritage and enhancing tourism.

Support Tourism Promotion and Marketing Campaigns: Attracting more visitors to experience the rich history and natural beauty of our region.

Develop Interactive Display Cases: Creating engaging educational tools to share the story of our lumber heritage.

Conduct Education and Outreach Programs: Expanding our efforts to inform and inspire both residents and visitors about the importance of the lumber industry.

A Message from Our Executive Director

“We are extremely happy to be able to support the communities in the 15-county region. Since I started writing the grants in 2018, we have tripled our financial support from DCNR, and our communities are seeing the benefits,” said Holly Komonczi, Executive Director. This growth in funding reflects our commitment to enhancing the Lumber Heritage Region and ensuring that our communities thrive.

About the Lumber Heritage Region

The Lumber Heritage Region (LHR) spans 15 counties in North West and North Central Pennsylvania, highlighting the past, present, and future significance of the lumber industry. Our goal is to market the region’s assets to potential visitors, serve as a vital resource to the PA hardwood industry, and keep the economic impact of the region at the forefront of our efforts.

Our Mission

As a 501(c)(3) organization, we are dedicated to helping the region make an international impact. Our mission is to serve the region with technical, educational, and financial assistance through the coordination of networking and communication initiatives. By fostering these connections, we aim to bolster the local economy, preserve our heritage, and promote sustainable practices within the lumber industry.

Looking Ahead

This grant marks a significant milestone for the Lumber Heritage Region, and we are eager to see the positive changes it will bring. We are committed to continuing our work in supporting and promoting the rich heritage and vibrant communities within our region.

For more information about our programs and initiatives, please visit our website at www.lumberheritage.org. Join us in celebrating this exciting achievement and stay tuned for updates on our progress!

More Industry News From LHR

News & Updates

What Susquehanna River memories do you cherish? Here’s a chance to share your story!

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is dedicated to helping our communities create, remember, and share stories and experiences of the river. To celebrate their upcoming 25th anniversary in service of this goal, they announced the beginning of their latest project: a coffee table book all about the Susquehanna River and the towns, trails, and humans who make it special! If you or someone you know has a story they would like to share, they are accepting submissions on a continual basis for review. They are collecting stories in all mediums. In addition to the coffee table book, selected stories may be shared across social media platforms and newsletters, giving your work a wider audience and adding to the shared narrative of the river’s importance in our community.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION & NATURAL RESOURCES (DCNR)

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Recreation and Conservation assists local governments and recreation and conservation organizations with funding for projects related to: Parks Recreation Conservation Applications for the department’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants are accepted once a year. The application period for the recreation and conservation grants opens in January and closes in April each year: Opens: (Third Tuesday of January) Closes: (First Wednesday of April) There are exceptions for ATV and Snowmobile Trails Management Restricted Account Grants, which are conducted during the spring and fall: Spring: Always opens first business day in February and closes the last business day in March. Fall: Always opens first business day in August and closes the last business day in September. Peer and Circuit Rider Grants are open year-round

AMERICA250PA’S 2024-2025 Semiquincentennial Grants

America250PA, with generous funding support from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Legislature, is proud to award $1 million in grant funding across two grant periods during our 2024-25 Fiscal Year. The Semiquincentennial Grants are intended to create, uplift, improve, and expand programming, projects, and events from eligible Pennsylvania communities and organizations, which contribute to a full calendar of activities, engaging every single Pennsylvanian, around the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. America250PA (A250PA) is Pennsylvania’s official Commission charged with planning and coordinating all of the programming, projects and events around the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. We are currently scheduling and implementing a series of programs and events focused on Educating, Preserving, Innovating, and Celebrating everything that makes Pennsylvania what it is: from our natural and political past and origins; to the people, industry, and organizations that make up our neighbors and communities; to the incredible sights and sounds Pennsylvania provides and Pennsylvanians create; all the way to laying a solid groundwork for our children, for future generations, and for the next 250 years.