PENNSYLVANIA PARKS AND FORESTS FOUNDATION

In our 2105 strategic plan, we outlined the following goals:
Goal 1: Expand the message on the value of and ways to engage in parks, forests, and recreation to increase participation, inform the public and decision makers, and build relationships with diverse partners.
Goal 2: Engage the public in meaningful outdoor recreation to improve physical, emotional and mental health.
Goal 3: Increase volunteerism in Pennsylvania state parks and forests to 50 friends groups and 1200 PPFF and Friends Chapter volunteers by 2020.
Goal 4: Invest in transformative projects and events to enhance the state park and forest visitor experience.
Goal 5: Strengthen the capacity of PPFF and the friends chapters through strategic investment of time, talent and revenue.

Strategy Goal #1: Work with thought leaders and develop partnerships to develop communication pieces and perform/analyze research that relates to benefits of outdoor recreation/open space to humans and society. Utilize these tools to engage community leaders. Tell the story of our conservation legacy and the lessons it holds. Monitor legislation and policies that impact parks/forests/recreation.

Strategy Goal #2: Remove barriers to participation in outdoor recreation, either real or perceived utilizing the barriers checklist. This includes a multi-modal communication strategy that raises the visibility of parks, forests, friends groups and volunteer opportunities. Work to engage people from cradle to grave by expanding the understanding of ways to enjoy the outdoors.

Strategy Goal #3: Enhance the friends group cultivation and retention process to assist friends in forming and managing successful groups and activities. For those areas without a friends group, diversify the ways that people can become engaged, such as volunteer workdays, stewardship programs, and transformative projects. Invest in all volunteers through training and recognition.

Strategy Goal #4: Identify and invest in a minimum of five projects a year on/in state parks and forests. Enhance development skills of board and team to infest in these needed projects. Refine the membership program to engage more people in the Foundation.

Strategy Goal #5: Increase board engagement at the state and friends group levels through increased skill building, program implementation, and capacity building.

The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation has invested in staff and board training and development to meet the goals outlined in the strategic plan. Where deficits exist, we fill gaps with consultants and/or partnerships. We utilize strategic relationships to farther our mission and goals.

The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation has a long history of success. While small in staff, we are mighty in our accomplishments. A brief summary can be found below.

Habitat Protection—habitat can be compromised through many different human and natural conditions—from storm incidences to over use. PPFF accomplished such projects as invasive species removal, native tree plantings, rare ecosystem protection, native demonstration gardens and the training of stewards to ensure these special lands remain special. Much of this was accomplished through the use of volunteers.

Safety first—Funded such projects as radios and bicycles for rangers, repairs to warming huts, trail signage, life guard training and equipment, dock improvements and safety fencing. This removes barriers to participating in outdoor recreation through improved safety.

Communication— PPFF has created: fact sheets (health, quality, outdoor pursuits, etc.), improved our website, enhanced our e-newsletters, and are currently updating the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation Passport. In 2016, we reached over 10,000 through public presentations and events.

Accessibility— Our work isn't just a trail in the woods, it's an opportunity for a child with a mobility impairment to join her or her classmates on a field trip. A floating EZ Dock allows a veteran independence. To date we have: organized and hosted two trainings for state park/forest staff and volunteers on accessible recreation; coordinated a panel discussion on accessible recreation for a statewide gathering; sponsored a training for a train-the-trainer program in adaptive canoeing; organized a body mechanics workshop; coordinated a panel on understanding autism for environmental educators; identified and raised funds for improved ADA compliant trails at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center; purchased an ADA EZ Dock for Point Beltzville State Parks ; and trained volunteers to do ADA assessment.

Volunteerism—Volunteers are the backbone of building, maintaining and conserving our parks and forests. In 2015, we coordinated more than $1.2 million in volunteer labor for our state parks and forests. We are tabulating 2016 numbers.

Friends Groups—Thirty-nine friends groups connect our state lands to the communities around them, engaging volunteers who continue the legacy of conservation for which Pennsylvania is known. We have two more in the works.

Play—A simple playground provides a child with a tool to not only build imagination, but engage in decision making, develop problem solving and leadership skills, and to build life-long learning habits. We and our chapters have installed more than 18 play systems in the past 10 years.

Skill development--we have hosted a variety of training opportunities for the board, friends, and volunteers, from fundraising to trail building.