Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape
2024 Mini-Grant Awards
Berks Nature’s Preserves and Trail Mapping
Berks Nature
Mini-Grant Award: $12,000
Project Total: $24,000
Berks Nature printed maps and rack cards of their publicly accessible preserves depicting hiking and walking trails, which included descriptions of features of special interest found at each preserve, such as preserve history, special geologic features, flora and fauna, etc. These maps were also made available electronically and can be accessed through Quick Response (QR) codes. Kiosk-sized maps were also created for five of the preserves and installed at trailheads.
Aboard! Removing Barriers for Nature-Based Tourism and Education
Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust
Mini-Grant Award: $15,000
Project Total: $34,500
Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust installed updates to their train that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), allowing for wheelchairs of all sizes to enter the train through the main doors and make use of the on-board restrooms.
Bon View Linear Park Environmental Education Signs
Denver Borough, Lancaster County
Mini-Grant Award: $6,000
Project Total: $12,000
Denver Borough purchased and installed six environmental education signs in Bon View Linear Park to educate park visitors on wildlife, riparian forests, native plans, streams, floodplains, and wetland habitats native to Little Cocalico Creek.
High Rocks Improvement Project
Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance of Climbers
Mini-Grant Award: $10,000
Project Total: $20,000
Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance of Climbers trained park staff and volunteers in sustainable trail design, and then put that training to use installing retaining walls, stone steps, overlook fencing, sitting benches, and access stairs. The group also removed invasive plant species and cleared debris, replanting over 5,000 square feet with native trees, plants, and seed mix. They also reblazed or otherwise improved wayfinding for approximately three miles of trail.
Empowering Campus Visitors: Enhancing Exploration Readiness
Historic Yellow Springs
Mini-Grant Award: $9,435
Project Total: $18,870
Historic Yellow Springs enhanced an interpretive trail to deepen visitor engagement with the natural and historical landscape. Invasive plant species were removed, interpretive artwork installed, and wayfinding improved through updated maps and literature kiosks.
Murgia Park Interpretive Signage
West Pottsgrove Township, Montgomery County
Mini-Grant Award: $10,000
Project Total: $20,000
West Pottsgrove Township designed and installed six interpretive signs along the walking trail in Murgia Park, as well as eleven bird houses.
Marshlands Exploration
Great Marsh Institute
Mini-Grant Award: $2,565
Project Total: $5,130
Great Marsh Institute in addition to developing two promotional videos about Great Marsh and all it has to offer, funding was used to purchase equipment and supplies for on-site water expeditions and inquiry, including flotation devices, sweep nets,
binoculars, magnification boxes, and folding traps to catch, observe, and release turtles. Several youth events were hosted for school and scout groups.
Native Pollinator Bio-Diversity Program
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
Mini-Grant Award: $15,000
Project Total: $30,000
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy developed their Native Pollinator Bio-Diversity Program to support native pollinators through habitat conservation, preservation, and restoration, and the engage the communities of the Perkiomen Region in this mission. Through engagement of 162 volunteers over 12 different offerings, native
plant species were propagated and planted throughout Dragonfly Farm at Jacob Reiff Park in Lower Salford Township. Weekly field monitoring surveys were conducted to record all of the butterfly species observed. Signs and infographics were created to educate visitors of the different types of gardens and their specific target species.