Pennsylvania is home to some of the nation’s most treasured landscapes, vibrant cities, and historic communities. For decades, Trust for Public Land (TPL) has been working alongside residents, local governments, schools, and community organizations to ensure that everyone can experience the benefits and joys of the outdoors.
At TPL, we believe parks are a community superpower. Parks connect us to nature, to one another, and to the places we call home. They improve public health, strengthen local economies, build climate resilience, and create opportunities for communities to come together and thrive.
Yet nearly half of Pennsylvanians do not have a park within a 10-minute walk of home. In many urban neighborhoods, generations of underinvestment have left communities without adequate access to quality green space. In rural areas, many residents still lack access to nearby trails and water recreation opportunities. That’s why TPL is committed to creating parks, protecting land, and connecting people to the outdoors across the Commonwealth.
Today, TPL’s impact in Pennsylvania includes protecting more than 5,000 acres of land, connecting over 300,000 people to the outdoors, and creating parks and schoolyards that capture an estimated 120 million gallons of stormwater each year.
From protecting iconic landscapes along the Appalachian Trail to transforming schoolyards into vibrant community parks, TPL is helping build a stronger, healthier, and more connected Pennsylvania.
Together with local partners, TPL has helped preserve and enhance many of the places Pennsylvanians love, so we thought we’d share just a few projects and destinations that showcase TPL’s work across the state:
New & Noteworthy Projects:
Penn Haven Conservation Area (Weatherly)
Just within the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape area, TPL partnered with the community of Weatherly, Pennsylvania, to transform a former railroad corridor into a 5-mile multiuse trail connecting the borough to Lehigh Gorge State Park and the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) Trail. The project repurposes the historic coal transportation route into a new outdoor recreation destination, helping revitalize the local economy while expanding access to nature for residents and visitors alike.
The trail winds through the Penn Haven Conservation Area, offering access to hiking, biking, birding, and fishing opportunities along Black Creek. The project also protects important wildlife habitat and connects to a broader network of conserved lands, including State Game Land 141 and Lehigh Gorge State Park. TPL transferred Penn Haven to Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Forestry, permanently protecting the property as part of Weiser State Forest and ensuring public access for generations to come.
The Easton Highline (Easton)
One of TPL’s newest and most exciting projects is the Easton Highline. Working with the City of Easton and the Greater Easton Development Partnership, TPL is transforming a long-abandoned elevated rail bridge into a unique public park and trail connection overlooking the meeting point of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. The Easton Highline will connect residents and visitors directly to the 144-mile Delaware & Lehigh Trail while creating a new destination that celebrates Easton’s industrial heritage, supports downtown businesses, and expands access to nature for nearby residents, including seniors living adjacent to the future trailhead.
Other Must-See Trust for Public Land Protected Green Spaces & Successes:
Campbell’s Ledge
Valley Forge
Alain Locke Community Schoolyard
South Mountain
Lehigh Valley
Hazelwood Greenway (Pittsburgh)
Santos Farm
John F. Kennedy Community Schoolyard (Scranton)
Beyond creating parks and protecting land, TPL helps communities plan for their future. Using innovative mapping and data tools, TPL identifies neighborhoods where investments in parks and open space can deliver the greatest benefits. Then we work hand-in-hand with local advocates and elected leaders to secure funding for conservation and outdoor recreation projects that will deliver these benefits directly to our communities.
Looking ahead, TPL is working toward ambitious goals across the Commonwealth, including expanding park access to hundreds of thousands of additional residents, protecting more land for public benefit, growing trail and greenway connections, and helping communities invest in outdoor spaces that support both people and nature.
As Pennsylvania continues to grow and evolve, TPL remains committed to a vision where every resident can enjoy the benefits of parks, trails, open space, and the outdoors close to home. With support from folks just like you, we can make parks a powerful catalyst for community transformation. Where some see unused space, we see unlimited potential: places to grow up active and healthy, staging grounds for a community’s dreams and aspirations, the opportunity to envision a better future and build it with intention. For more information about our work across the Commonwealth and beyond, please visit TPL online or contact the Pennsylvania office by phone at 215-240-7710 or email at philadelphia@tpl.org.