Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Study underway to inform future of collaborative work

RIDGWAY, PA – The Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Team (PWPT) has started its new Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Study update, which will inform the future of the group’s work within the Pennsylvania Wilds region. The firm selected to undertake the project was announced at the PWPT’s most recent meeting.

HRG Engineering, based in Centre County, was selected by the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission through a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process as the contracted consultant who will lead the Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Study update over the course of the next several months.

The first Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Study that was conducted in 2007 provided the initial action plan for the PWPT’s work. Fifteen years have since passed, over which there have been many accomplishments and changes. The new study will reflect on what has been realized, what is still needed, and set the stage for what’s to come.

The process to update the study officially began on October 24, when HRG attended its first PWPT meeting since being selected. At the October meeting, HRG introduced themselves to the Planning Team, gave an overview of the process for gathering feedback and concerns, and then began the first steps by listening to the Planning Team members.

“Since the creation of the PA Wilds Planning Team’s original action plan some 17 years ago, so much has been accomplished and changed since its original creation,” said Will Hunt, president of the PWPT. Hunt is also the Potter County Planner, GIS, and Community Development Director. “With the most recent kickoff of the action plan update, we’re excited to rejuvenate the collaborative efforts of the dedicated and passionate efforts of the county planners, partners, and other stakeholders into the Planning Team’s efforts to advance and model this updated plan for the future of our region.”

In its request for proposals, the Planning Team noted that it envisions a final plan that clearly and concisely identifies the issues currently facing each of the region’s counties, as well as those that may arise in the future, with solutions to help address the problems in a holistic manner. Clear, realistic goals with achievable objectives and measurable indicators will make the plan a true living document.

 

PLANNING STUDY BACKGROUND

The 2007 Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Study was undertaken to assess planning needs arising from the budding PA Wilds initiative. It focused on land use, community outreach, infrastructure, and emergency services. 

Outcomes from the first PA Wilds Planning Study included: 

• The award-winning PA Wilds Design Guide, which has since been voluntarily used in the design of new and renovated restaurants, inns, public buildings and spaces, and signs throughout the region. 
• Follow-up programs providing funding for business and community signage, building and facility designs, and business façade improvements utilizing the Design Guide. 
• Community outreach efforts, including regionwide workshops and local government briefings, to help communities capitalize on PA Wilds. 
• Aided by PWPT planning work, a business development program promoting nature-based recreation and tourism businesses was initiated in 2008. It has grown to become the PA Wilds Center. 

A refresh to the planning study is needed now to ensure it addresses issues that have changed or emerged since the initial 2007 study. In addition, the updated plan will help identify new opportunities to continue to invest in outdoor recreation and tourism infrastructure and continue to evaluate how best to manage tourism growth in a way that preserves the natural, recreational, and community character assets which attract tourists.

View the 2007 Planning Study here.

 

NEXT STEPS

HRG will continue collecting feedback from PWPT members, partners, county officials and other stakeholders. They will be involved in several upcoming Planning Team meetings through June 2025.

Once HRG has listened to feedback from members and stakeholders, they will review the information and compile a suggested plan and goals for the future of the PWPT. The plan will be reviewed by the Planning Team, and any changes or additions will be discussed and voted on. All work must be completed by June 30, 2025.

The Planning Team will ensure the final plan is easily accessible and is presented in a format that is easily read and used by the Pennsylvania Wilds Planning Team, Federal and State agencies, and the public.

 

ABOUT THE PA WILDS PLANNING TEAM

The PA Wilds Planning Team (PWPT) is one of the largest and longest-standing governance structures around the PA Wilds effort. It was formed in 2006 through a groundbreaking Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement (ICA), the largest geographically of its kind in Pennsylvania. The ICA brings together the region’s county governments, typically through representation of the county planner, the region’s four Economic Development Districts, two Heritage Areas, visitor bureaus, PA Wilds Center, conservation partners and others to work on regional planning issues related to outdoor recreation development. The PWPT has been an integral player in the nationally recognized Pennsylvania Wilds initiative to promote conservation, tourism, and community and economic development in the region. The PWPT has been an integral player in the nationally recognized Pennsylvania Wilds initiative to promote conservation, tourism, and community and economic development in the region. 

 

ABOUT THE PA WILDS

The Pennsylvania Wilds is a 13-county region that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren, and northern Centre. The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that inspires the communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds. The PA Wilds Center promotes the region and its 2+ million acres of public lands as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, inspire stewardship, attract investment, retain population and improve quality of life. The PA Wilds Center’s core programs seek to help businesses leverage the PA Wilds brand and connect with new market opportunities, including: the Wilds Cooperative of PA, a network of more than 575 place-based businesses and organizations, and the PA Wilds Conservation Shop, a retail outlet primarily featuring products sourced from the WCO. For more information on the PA Wilds Center, visit www.PAWildsCenter.org. To learn more about the WCO, visit www.WildsCoPA.org. Explore the PA Wilds at www.PAWilds.com. Find regionally made products at www.ShopThePAWilds.com. 

 

Media Contact

Britt Madera | Communications Manager

PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc.

[email protected] | 570-948-1051