Land

Pennsylvania’s natural resources have been a source of prosperity for generations, but 300 years of extraction and industrial use have left their mark on the land. From surface disturbance to mine drainage, the legacy of coal mining is one of displaced environmental, economic, and human costs throughout the Commonwealth and across Appalachia.

PEC’s Legacy Mineland Reforestation program seeks to repair the damage by restoring and replanting reclaimed mine sites with native trees that clean the air and water, stabilize the landscape, and provide critical wildlife habitat. And because woodlands act as a natural carbon sink, re-establishing healthy forests can help reduce Pennsylvania’s overall contribution to climate change. Since launching the program in 2016, PEC has planted more than 277 thousand seedlings across more than 350 acres of state forest and privately owned land.

Because a lifelong commitment to stewardship often begins with formative outdoor experiences, PEC works to create and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities for everyone. Through regional partnerships like the Circuit Trails Coalition and the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition, and larger initiatives like the East Coast Greenway, we help to facilitate the planning, funding, and construction of trails and greenways that not only improve the quality of life for residents, but also generate new economic opportunities for their communities.

Through DCNR’s Conservation Landscapes initiative, we lead regionally-focused economic development efforts organized around conservation and the outdoor industry. PEC serves as external lead for the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape in southwestern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Forests and Waters Conservation Landscape in northeastern Pennsylvania, working to connect State Parks and Forests to communities, connect community programs to each other, and connect citizens and visitors to the region’s abundant habitat and outdoor recreation areas.

Especially now, amid a historic surge in outdoor recreation, PEC is committed to ensuring that Pennsylvania’s parks, trails, and public lands are adequately supported by the state and fully enjoyed by all Pennsylvanians.