The Lumber Heritage Region (LHR), one of Pennsylvania’s twelve heritage regions, is excited to announce grant funding of $365,000 for projects across the 15-county region. This funding is from two separate partnership grants provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR ) to heritage area partners. This is a competitive grant that is applied for annually.
“I am pleased that through the hard work of our staff, the LHR has been able to secure this grant funding. With it we will be able continue the work of promoting the heritage, the present and the future, of the 15-counties that make up the LHR. ” – Josh Fox, Chairman, Board of Directors
All fifteen of the counties will benefit from the funding received through these grants. Education and outreach, and tourism promotion and marketing are major ongoing projects that can be felt in each of the communities. Last year over 1,500 school aged children were taught the importance of lumbering to our region. We were also able to create two virtual educational tools, Boom Heritage and Legends of Lumbering, that are housed on the LHR YouTube Channel.
In July, 2022 seven mini grants were awarded as part of this funding. The projects are under development and are as listed: Allegheny Hardwoods Utilization Group (interpretive panels), Cameron County Recreation (Dark Sky Programming), Center County Historical Society (Passport Program and Interpretive Panels), DuBois Historical Society (Interpretive Panel), Lycoming County Tourism (Brochures), McKean County Historical Society (Fire Tower Restoration), Muncy Historical Society (interpretive Panels). These projects will be complete by May 2024.
Other projects that are part of this funding are the restoration of a fire tower that will be part of the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Campus in Potter County. This tower will add to the tourism product for Potter County and allow visitors to learn yet another segment of the invaluable heritage of the forest products industry. The Tioga County Visitor Center will be the inaugural site of a new interactive promotional display case that will help visitors to the region learn more about the LHR, view historic lumbering items and find merchandise sold by the LHR. We will be looking for additional sites for similar display cases, email hkomonczi@lumberheritage.org, if you’re interested in being a host site. Lastly, a planning study to develop a Dark Sky Park in Cameron County will be done as part of Cameron County’s revitalization efforts. This park will open doors for more visitors to enjoy nature during the day and at night.
“It is such a pleasure working with an organization that can offer so many economic drivers to so many communities. In the six years I have been with the LHR, I have been able to secure over $1.4 million dollars in grant and other funds for our 15-county region.” Exclaims Holly Komonczi, Executive Director. The Lumber Heritage Region operates with two full time staff and a host of volunteers.
The LHR is always looking for great project ideas. They will be working this year to update their Management Action Plan, if you are interested in being a part of this process or just want to share an idea, email, hkomonczi@lumberheritage.org. This is a good way to assure your community is a part of future projects and plans.
Follow more about Cameron Counties Dark Sky progress here
#lookupcameroncounty
No comments:
Post a Comment