May 21, 2025

Upcoming HCA Boundary Expansion Webinar

The Highlands Conservation Act boundary nearly tripled when it was reauthorized in 2022. When the Highlands Region was originally protected in 2004, it covered 3.5 million acres and 320 municipalities across four states. Now, the boundary is 10.2 million acres and includes 877 towns. A map of the HCA boundary, within Pennsylvania, can be found here. Now, all 877 municipalities are eligible to apply for grant funding that can be used to acquire land for conservation and outdoor recreation

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April 24, 2025

10 Mile Hike in the PA Highlands: A Suggested Itinerary

The Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Hike Challenge begins on May 1st! It’s time to start planning your first hike. While there are many potential routes you can take on the Highlands Trail, but we have some favorite spots. Morlatton Village to French Creek State Park via Schuylkill River Trail and Big Woods Trail (10 miles) This hike begins at the Morlatton Village Trailhead on the Schuylkill River Trail in Douglassville, PA. Spend some time walking through the historic Colonial-era Morlatton Village. The

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February 7, 2025

Discover the Thrill: Exciting Hike Challenge Awaits in the PA Highlands

  Dear Adventure Enthusiasts,    The Hike is ON!                                                                                We are thrilled to invite you to participate in our exciting 7-month Challenge spanning from May-December 2025! Designed to test your limits and ignite your passion for the great outdoors! This summer, we encourage

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September 16, 2024

Updated PA Highlands Resources Interactive Map

The PA Highlands Resources Interactive Map has been updated. This map can be found on the homepage of the Pennsylvania Highlands website. Explore over 40 features on the interactive map that cover recreational resources, federal and state funding opportunities, environmental justice communities, the US FWS Highlands Resource Priorities, and other features. In addition to reviewing this information, you can also locate these resources within a specified distance from a defined location, through the “Resources Near Me” tab. This update is based

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September 11, 2024

LWCF 60th Anniversary

September 3, 2024, marked the 60th anniversary of the passing of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), our nation’s premier federal conservation funding program. At the time of its creation, LWCF was to receive yearly allocations of $900 million in royalties from energy companies that drill on the Outer Continental Shelf. The goal was to take revenue from the depletion of oil and gas sites and to use the proceeds to protect federal lands and to create grants for

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April 23, 2024

RSVP: Highlands Trail Ribbon Cutting at Nockamixon State Park

Join the Appalachian Mountain Club, DCNR, the Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape, and additional Highlands Trail partners to celebrate the completion of a 3-mile segment of the Highlands Trail through Nockamixon State Park! This new section of trail connects the Marina Day Use Area to the Haycock Boat Launch, closing a gap in the Highlands Trail network. In its full completion, the Highlands Trail will connect Nockamixon State Park to Quakertown borough.  →

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January 9, 2024

Community Spotlight: Saucon Valley Bikes

Joël Nankman, owner of Saucon Valley Bikes, is originally from Suriname, South America, former Dutch Guiana. He traveled around the Caribbean and Europe racing and working at various bike shops, where he met his wife, a Lehigh Valley native. Relocating to the US, in 2010, he started working for Saucon Valley Bikes, before accepting a job with Bicycling Magazine. In August 2022, he purchased Saucon Valley Bikes while focusing mainly on mountain bike endurance racing.  

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