HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania officials are putting rivers, wildlife, and public lands in the spotlight this holiday season, unveiling a trio of initiatives that invite public participation, fund biodiversity research, and strengthen stewardship across the Commonwealth.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources last Tuesday opened online voting for Pennsylvania’s 2026 River of the Year, giving residents until January 16 to choose among three waterways that span rural landscapes and the state’s most densely populated corridor. The nominees are the Conestoga River in Lancaster County, Chillisquaque Creek in central Pennsylvania, and the lower Schuylkill River from Phoenixville to Philadelphia.
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said the annual competition highlights the recreational, cultural, and economic value of rivers while building community pride. The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers with DCNR funding, is designed to raise awareness of conservation needs while celebrating waterways that define local identity.
The Conestoga River flows more than 61 miles to the Susquehanna River and is known for canoeing, kayaking, tubing, and fishing. Chillisquaque Creek, a 20-mile tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna, winds through four counties and offers diverse outdoor recreation across its 112-square-mile watershed. The lower Schuylkill River spans 36 miles through the greater Philadelphia region, serving as a major recreational corridor in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Two days later, the Shapiro Administration announced nearly $530,000 in grants for 15 projects aimed at conserving native biodiversity, from rare plants and insects to birds, fish, and mammals. The funding supports research to fill knowledge gaps and guide conservation decisions statewide.
Projects include mapping green salamander habitat, surveying rare stoneflies and aquatic plants, building Pennsylvania’s first comprehensive firefly inventory, assessing endangered fish reintroduction, and using DNA barcoding to catalog native bee diversity. Other grants support studies of prairie warblers, northern harriers, rare fungi, and elusive species such as the Allegheny woodrat using conservation detection dogs.
DCNR officials said the grants, administered through the Wild Resource Conservation Program, reinforce the state’s responsibility to protect non-game species and ecosystems for future generations. The program aligns with broader investments in the 2025–26 state budget, which increases funding for DCNR, invasive species control, outdoor recreation, and the expansion of state parks.
On December 12, DCNR also announced a leadership change in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Michael Plish was appointed manager of Chapman State Park in Warren County, overseeing the 862-acre park and Chapman Lake, a popular destination adjacent to state game lands and the Allegheny National Forest.
Plish, a Moon Township native and environmental science graduate of Clarion University, brings experience from multiple state parks and the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps. DCNR officials said his background and collaborative approach will support stewardship of Chapman, which hosts Warren County Winterfest and serves as a year-round recreation hub.
Together, the initiatives reflect a coordinated effort to engage the public, invest in science-driven conservation, and strengthen management of Pennsylvania’s natural resources, as the Commonwealth leans into environmental protection as both a civic duty and an economic asset.
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