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December 2011 GreenSpace Connect Digest

This issue of the GreenSpace Connect celebrates Donna Pitz's time with GSA, updates Renew Growing Greener news, and delves into trails. Trails are an effective way of connecting open spaces both to other open spaces, and to the people who are needed to protect them. In this issue we will look at some of the trail success stories in southeast Pennsylvania. We'll look at some of the needs that are still out there. And we'll look at what it takes to shepherd a trail from concept to reality.

The GreenSpace Connect Digest is a publication of the GreenSpace Alliance that highlights success stories about preserving and connecting open space throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. To contribute or suggest future stories, please contact us.

List of Stories

• Donna Pitz Steps Down as Executive Director
• Boom Year for Ribbon Cutting for Trails
• Gaps in the Trail System
• What it Takes to Make a Trail
• Growing Greener Funding Rides on Marcellus Shale

Donna Pitz Steps Down as Executive Director

With Donna Pitz leaving GreenSpace Alliance in September 2011, the organization has lost a creative, persuasive, and unique individual. Donna has been with GSA over six years -- the culmination of a career that has included working as an elementary school teacher, and with the Food Trust and PAQ, Inc. Donna was also an active volunteer, working with the League of Women Voters, as an officer of the Northeast American Planning Association, a director of SHARE, and as Director and Co-founder of the Pocono Heritage Land Trust.

Donna was initially asked to work for GreenSpace Alliance by Charlie Day in April 2005 to help pass the Growing Greener 2 ballot measure to create more funding for environmental projects across the state. After Charlie left the organization she was asked to stay on, and she helped orient Judy Jengo to the Executive Director position in 2005. An avid baker, Donna instituted Pi (3.14/Pie) Day at the office on March 14, 2007, which continues annually with the consumption of mouth-watering pies. Donna was appointed Interim Executive Director in December 2008, and was appointed Executive Director in early 2009.

When asked what program she was particularly proud of she can list a few. "I'm most proud of the projects where we've developed successful partnerships to bring about land preservation." She points out the Pennypack Greenway project, which involved bringing together a number of groups and individuals interested in the Pennypack Creek watershed. The project resulted in an interactive map of the Pennypack Greenway, a PowerPoint presentation, and a video. "I think of it as branding work for the Pennypack Greenway, so that the public is more aware of the potential of the area," Donna explained. "The Greenway extends up to the Montgomery County Cross County trail and beyond, but many parts could be developed. It is important for people to see its value and how critical it is to preserve the unprotected links now."

Another memorable project was the development of Return on Environment: The Economic Value of Preserved Open Space. Here again the project involved bringing together a variety of groups in a successful partnership to develop a thoughtful and persuasive study of why preserving open space makes economic sense as well as ecological sense.

An initiative that Donna started just before her Parkinson's disease cut short her employment was the Equinox Art with Nature idea. Donna is an accomplished quilter, weaver, and knitter, and has used her love of arts and crafts to urge new partners to preserve land. Donna envisioned and encouraged artists to go out into nature and draw new inspiration from it. In doing so she knew they would also be moved to protect those open spaces.

Donna sees the goal of GreenSpace Alliance as promoting an interconnected system of trails, open space and recreation, which not only benefits the ecosystem, they give an identity to southeastern Pennsylvania. GreenSpace Alliance's work should also cultivate a complimentary awareness that preserving open space is the right thing to do, both economically, environmentally, and socially. Noting that there is a spiritual, financial, and ecological aspect to land preservation Donna adroitly notes "some people know it in their heart, some know it through their pocketbook, and some know because of the plants and animals they care about." The GreenSpace Alliance will miss Donna's creativity, persuasion and devotion as the organization moves forward. And we are thankful that she still brings in cookies.

Find out more

GreenSpace Alliance

Pennypack Greenway

Pennypack Video

Return on Environment: The Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Southeastern Pennsylvania

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Boom Year for Ribbon Cutting for Trails

Flying along on a nice new smooth (or mountainous) trail is a pleasure a lot of people got to enjoy recently, with at least four trails in southeastern Pennsylvania celebrating a ribbon-cutting ceremony this year. These ceremonies allow recognition of the many people it takes to pull together a trail -- trail committees, funders, builders and others. These new trails give us another place to interact with our neighbors, and another way to connect with the open spaces in our region.

The first of the four trails to snip the ribbon was a new portion of the East Branch Brandywine Trail on July 8, 2011. Running through East Bradford to West Bradford Township in Chester County, this 10 foot wide, multiuse trail allows trail users on the Bicycle PA Route L to avoid traffic on Pennsylvania Route 322 and instead use this trail along the old trolley bed. The three-quarter mile section brings the length of the whole trail to about 2.5 miles, and is part of the Brandywine-Struble Regional Recreation Corridor. Bill Gladden, Director of Chester County Open Space Preservation, explained, "This county corridor is intended to link communities in central Chester County to Marsh Creek State Park, Struble Lake, and the Chester County Struble Trail. The segment also may connect to the statewide Mason-Dixon corridor, which extends from northern Chester County into Maryland, then north into York County before ending at the Appalachian Trail. This trail segment also is part of the informal Brandywine Trail."

  October saw an impressive three trail openings, starting with the October 9th ribbon cutting on new trails in Nockamixon State Park.  This Bucks County multiuse trail is open for hiking and mountain biking and is suitable for all ability levels, including children.  The Valley Mountain Bikers, Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association, and International Mountain Biking Association worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Park Manager to design and construct nine miles of trails within the park.  Scott Storz, President of the Valley Mountain Bikers, has already seen an extremely positive reaction to the new trails at Nockamixon State Park, especially from mountain bikers and trail runners, "They're looking for twists, turns, humps – variations in the trail terrain."  The trails are very different from the level Delaware canal towpath, which Storz says is "also a good trail for families and people new to mountain biking and working to improve their fitness".

   On October 23, 2011, the Cynwyd Trail was officially opened in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County. This multiuse trail with separate paved and unpaved lanes was a creative way to turn an abandoned SEPTA rail line into a linear park. Even before it opened, the project brought the community together as they came out by the hundreds to clear the land and plant trees. Besides connecting the community, the trail is now planned to connect across the Schuylkill River to Manayunk and the Ivy Ridge Trail in Philadelphia.

The last trail to open in October was a segment of the Schuylkill River Trail at Spring City in Chester County. The 5.6 mile section runs from the Parker Ford trailhead along Route 724, to East Pikeland and the Cromby trailhead on Township Line Road, just outside of Phoenixville. The entire Schuylkill River trail system, when completed, will be 140 miles long and will run from Philadelphia to Reading.

Trails are themselves open space, but they are also important in linking open spaces and people. If you are seeking to get into the great outdoors, they can get you there. But even people who are using the trails just to get around will also be exposed to open space and may come to value it more highly. Being out on trails provides exercise, generates fewer emissions than motor vehicles, provides oversight of trails and parks, and pumps money into the local economy as people stop and patronize local businesses (see GreenSpace Alliance's Return on Environment study). And trails are an attraction, not only to tourists, but also to people deciding where to live or where to locate their businesses. As we ride along the new trails in our region, we connect with open space, and are moved to preserve those special places we see. A lot of benefit for a very thin strip of land.

Find out more

East Branch Brandywine Trail Article

East Branch Brandywine Trail Map

Nockamixon Trail Opening by Valley Mountain Bikers

Cynwyd Heritage Trail Opening Article

Schuylkill River Trail Opening Article

Photo Credit: Richard Weisgrau, BalaCynwyd.Patch.com, used by permission

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Gaps in the Trail System

The greater Philadelphia area has some wonderful trails, enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. But sometimes trails don't connect and a cyclist or hiker is left feeling that "You can't get there from here." Alex Doty, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, describes these gaps as "a super-model missing two front teeth."

To help fill in these gaps, the William Penn Foundation has provided the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission with a grant to help fund priority projects. In DVRPC's request for proposals they point out that the Philadelphia region has been blessed with some great opportunities for a network of trails, including the rights-of-way inherited from being a railway hub, as well as greenway corridors along the region's creeks and parks. While many significant trail segments have been constructed or are moving toward construction "the system today is marked as much by its 'gaps' and 'missing links' as it is by its connectivity."

You may have your own pet peeve gap in the trail system. The bicycle route that ends in a flight of stairs. The stretch of equestrian or jogging trail that is funneled onto a busy road. The smooth, ADA accessible trail culminating in a bridge with a connector too steep to get your wheelchair up it.

One of the best known gaps in the regional trail system is the Wissahickon Gateway gap on the Schuylkill River Trail. Heading north from Center City Philadelphia, the Schuylkill River Trail stops at Ridge Avenue when it hits the Wissahickon Creek. Another trail will take you away from the river and up Wissahickon Creek, but if you want to follow the Schuylkill River, you have to detour onto Ridge Avenue and Main Street in Manayunk. With Ridge Avenue, Lincoln Drive, and Kelly Drive all joining together at the point where the trail ends, this intersection is quite confusing. There are sidewalks, but it is illegal for bicyclists (12-years-old or older) to ride on them. Switching to the roads is especially challenging, with hills to climb and buses using those roads.

After a mile on the roads, the Manayunk Canal Towpath starts and takes you most of the way to the Schuylkill River Trail, which picks up at Port Royal Avenue. Nicholas Mirra, Communications Coordinator for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, concludes, "Being able to bypass these congested streets and use a dedicated bike path would make a tremendous difference in facilitating bike travel from farther up the Schuylkill down into Manayunk and Philadelphia."

Trail gaps can also be puzzles that make your head spin. Take the Cross County trail in Montgomery County and the gap that separates it from the Wissahickon Trail. Rich Wood, Regional Trails Manager for Montgomery County Parks and Heritage Services, sees several challenges in completing this trail. The trail currently follows Chemical Road and ends at Germantown Pike – any crossing here has to deal with a congested and built out area. A road crossing at Butler Pike also needs to be determined. When you look at a map, the easiest right-of-way to follow is a rail line. Unfortunately, that rail line is an active freight line, the Norfolk Southern line. Compounding that is the railway's newly adopted, nation-wide policy of not allowing trail easements on their rail property. A trail easement is not a problem once the trail reaches Erdenheim Farm, where Montgomery County already holds a trail easement. But the original alignment would have gone a different route along Joshua Road, following the Cricket Club property. When you consider topography that includes some sizable hills and quarries, the route gets even trickier. And in an ideal world the trail would take advantage of the scenic parks, golf courses, farms and open space nearby. Even after the route is determined, funding is also an obstacle. That is especially true now, as Montgomery County seeks to close a $40 million shortfall, in part by eliminating the Parks and Heritages Services Department. With all these challenges, it seems the pieces don't fit together yet to solve the trail puzzle.

There are trails throughout the five-county area that need supporters to shepherd them through completion. You can view the trail map [make trail map a link] to find a section near you. If we all work together to complete the missing sections, we can improve everyone's ability to move around. As the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's request for proposal notes, "Completing these 'gaps' will contribute to making the Philadelphia metropolitan area a more accessible, livable, economically competitive and prosperous region."

Find out more

Greater Philadelphia Regional Trail Network

Schuylkill River Trail

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What it Takes to Create a Trail

Let's say you've got a great idea for a trail—the missing link in a regional trail, or a great way to get from point "A" to point "B" – or maybe you just want to get away from it all. Perhaps you just want a nearby trail to work out on. How do you make that visualized trail a reality? There is a basic path that every trail project must tread, which can be lengthy, depending on the number of property owners, number of jurisdictions the trail goes through, and other factors. Fortunately, there are many resources around to help you.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council created a book in 1998 entitled Creating Connections: The Pennsylvania Greenways and Trails How-To Manual. This thorough book walks you through the whole process: starting with "volunteers with a vision," forming a steering committee, developing a concept plan, meeting with public officials and opinion leaders, working with landowners and neighbors, creating a strategic plan, getting public input, marketing and publicity, budgeting and raising funds, creating a scope of work, hiring consultants, conducting surveys and appraisals, making the feasibility study, creating the master plan, designing the infrastructure and facilities, acquiring the corridor, deciding trail ownership, preparing construction plans, working with contractors, managing and maintaining the trail, and extending the trail. Okay, so that is a lot to accomplish and it can sound intimidating. But the manual's detailed discussion of what is needed at each stage and tips on how to go about it make the process that much less overwhelming.

For trails using abandoned or active rail beds, or actually any kind of trail, the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy is an invaluable resource. Their website has a Trail-Building Toolbox with articles on commonly asked questions, including how to reach out to public officials, design for different user types, making trails accessible, using railroad rights-of-way for trails, addressing liability issues, and how to do user surveys, with sample surveys and summaries of results. Most of these topics have examples from completed projects. There is also promotional material on trails and greenways in general, lots of links to other resources and websites, plus a library of in-depth studies.

Different groups of trail users, including equestrians, bicyclists, hikers and others, often have specific information for developing trails that serve their needs. The Pennsylvania Equine Council has courses in how to design and lay out sustainable trails, as well as other educational programs. The guru in making great mountain-biking trails is the International Mountain Biking Association. They have two books on sustainable trail-building, as well as other useful information, including mistakes to avoid. The American Hiking Society, the American Council of Snowmobile Associations and the Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association, the National Center for Bicycling & Walking, and the National Center for Safe Routes to School are other good resources for different types of trail users. There is even a Professional Trail Builders Association which supports quality trail design, construction and maintenance.

If you need some cool trail solutions, you won't want to miss the National Trails Training Partnership website hosted by American Trails. Their "cool trail solutions" page specializes in photographs of ways that different trails have handled common issues, which graphically provides numerous good ideas. The site also has lots of basic information about trails.

Find out more

Creating Connections: The Pennsylvania Greenways and Trails How-To Manual

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

American Trails hosted National Trails Training Partnership Cool Trail Solutions

Pennsylvania Equine Council

International Mountain Biking Association

National Center for Bicycling & Walking

National Center for Safe Routes to School

Professional Trail Builders Association

Photo Credit: Meg Gruwell, GreenSpace Alliance

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Growing Greener Funding Rides on Marcellus Shale

As many of you know, the GreenSpace Alliance has advocated for the renewal of the state's Growing Greener program for the past two years. The program, which funds conservation, restoration, preservation and recreation projects, is currently funded at about one-sixth of its historic high, with about $27 million expected to be available for projects in fiscal year 2011-12. This precipitous drop is due to the ending of the Growing Greener II bond revenues, the ongoing debt service on that bond, plus declines in revenue from tipping fees and real-estate transfer tax, the two other continuing sources of Growing Greener funding.

This shortfall in state funding has brought hundreds of projects across the Commonwealth nearly to a standstill. Projects to preserve farmland, build trails, restore streambanks, improve community parks, reclaim abandoned mineland and plug abandoned oil and gas wells are all waiting on funding.

Because state funding has dropped to such a low level, local matching funds are also being stymied. Local matching funds–usually from county, municipal, foundation or individual sources–are an essential ingredient in funding environmental projects, but can seldom fund the projects on their own. Growing Greener grants can cover up to 50% of a project's costs, while a combination of local matching funds typically makes up the remainder. The absence of the state funding means that local funding loses the leverage that is essential to completing conservation projects.

The Pennsylvania state legislature is, as of this writing, working to reconcile two natural gas drilling bills that contain funding provisions for the Growing Greener program. These bills provide the best opportunity we have seen to revitalize this critical program.

While both bills contain funding provisions, HB 1950 provides for the greater opportunity to return Growing Greener funding to a level that has not been seen in several years and which would have the greatest impact on this region's environment, economy and quality of life. The bill would direct 25% of revenues from the state Oil and Gas Lease fund, generated through oil and gas leases on state lands, toward Growing Greener.

The Oil and Gas Lease Fund was created to receive royalties from oil and gas drilling on State-owned lands including state forests and state parks, and was until recently used solely for the maintenance and improvement of those lands. Historically it has generated a few million dollars per year, but revenues are projected to rise into the hundreds of millions in the next decade or so, now that Marcellus gas wells are being established on state-owned lands.

Since 1999, Growing Greener has proved a successful mechanism for plugging abandoned wells, cleaning up polluted waterways, protecting wildlife habitat, preserving farms and conserving open spaces throughout Pennsylvania. The program has preserved more than 33,700 acres of Pennsylvania's family farmland, conserved more than 42,300 acres of threatened open space, added 26,000 acres to state parks and forests, and restored over 16,000 acres of abandoned mine lands. The program has also contributed and leveraged billions of dollars to Pennsylvania's economy by helping to boost tourism, create jobs and generate revenue. Growing Greener could thus be a powerful tool for addressing impacts of Marcellus development at the local level.

The GreenSpace Alliance encourages the adoption of legislation that dedicates 25% of the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to Growing Greener. It is vital that we take this opportunity to renew Growing Greener and reinvigorate the excellent work it has made possible here and across Pennsylvania for more than a decade.

Find out more

Renew Growing Greener Coalition

PA Environment Digest Article on Marcellus Legislation

PEC "It's Time to Act" Letter

Photo Credit: Countryside Conservancy

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