The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is asking people to share their thoughts on ways to improve and expand outdoor recreation opportunities in Pennsylvania.

The public will be able to comment on a draft of the “2025-2029 Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan” between Monday and March 3.

An online public input form is available on DCNR’s website, and webinars on the five priority areas for the 2025-2029 SCORP will be conducted.

“This plan is critical for the future of outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania, and I encourage those interested to share perspectives to help us design more people-focused initiatives for the future,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.

“Outdoor recreation delivers huge benefits for all of us — from driving local economies, to helping us lead healthy, active lifestyles,” she said. “We all need outdoor recreation in our lives, and this plan makes recommendations on how we can make it accessible to everyone.”

Priority areas in the five-year plan and their related webinar dates are:

• Monday: Promoting Community and Economic Development.

• Wednesday: Advancing Health and Wellness.

• Feb. 10: Supporting Equity and Inclusion.

• Feb. 12: Addressing Infrastructure and Maintenance.

• Feb. 19: Progressing on Sustainability and Climate Change.

All webinars run from noon to 12:30 p.m.

According to DCNR, there were multiple surveys that informed the draft plan, including a Penn State Lion Poll from a web-panel survey of more than 1,000 adult Pennsylvanians, a public survey and a recreation providers survey.

One of the key findings — out of more than 8,000 responses — revealed Pennsylvanians’ strong connection between outdoor recreation and mental well-being.

Every five years, states must develop a comprehensive outdoor recreation plan to guide policies, programs and investments while remaining eligible for federal funding.

SCORP enables Pennsylvania to remain eligible for federal grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has provided more than $216 million since 1965 to fund projects like parks and historic sites; forest, river, and wildlife habitat conservation; and access to recreation, hunting, and fishing.

The 2020-24 SCORP Plan — Recreation for All — focused on 20 recommendations and 70 action steps for meeting the outdoor recreation needs of all Pennsylvanians.

Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry contributes $19 billion to the commonwealth’s economy, and supports more than 68,000 jobs that provide $9 billion in wages and salaries.

For more information on the plan, visit https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr.html