PRINTER'S NO. 1786

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

No.

366

Session of

2018

INTRODUCED BY BAKER, SCHWANK, FONTANA, BREWSTER, SABATINA,

BROWNE, DINNIMAN, GREENLEAF, ARGALL, REGAN, TARTAGLIONE,

FOLMER, FARNESE, GORDNER, BARTOLOTTA, BLAKE, HUGHES, COSTA,

first State park in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, On May 23, 1893, Governor Robert E. Pattison signed

Act No. 68, which established the Pennsylvania Forestry

Commission, the duties of which included determining the

suitability of lands within this Commonwealth for a State forest

reserve; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock, the first forestry

commissioner, and other visionary leaders of the Commonwealth

understood that forest lands denuded and denigrated by

unsustainable timbering and industrial activity could be

for citizens"; and

WHEREAS, Mira Lloyd Dock, considered to be the mother of

forestry in Pennsylvania, assisted in acquiring the first

million acres of the State forest system and educated future

foresters; and

WHEREAS, Today the State forest system is comprised of 20

districts with more than 2.2 million acres of forest land

located in 53 of the 67 counties of this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, State forests are managed by the Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources to conserve their wild

from across the globe that wood products are harvested in an

environmentally responsible manner; and

WHEREAS, On May 30, 1893, Governor Pattison signed Act No.

130, which enabled the Commonwealth to purchase and create the

first State park at Valley Forge, and formed a commission to

acquire additional lands and construct public facilities; and

WHEREAS, The Bureau of State Parks was formed in 1929 for the

"purpose of promoting outdoor recreation and education, and

making available for such use natural areas of unusual scenic

beauty, especially such as provide impressive views, waterfalls,

formation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and Pinchot

later made extensive use of the CCC in reforesting this

Commonwealth and building trails, pavilions, bridges, dams,

cabins and other recreational amenities in our State parks and

State forests; and

WHEREAS, In 1955, when Maurice K. Goddard was appointed

Secretary of Forests and Waters, there were 44 State parks in

this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Goddard proposed having a State park located

within 25 miles of every Pennsylvania resident and, during the

that provided funding for parks, forestry, recreational

facilities, conservation, land acquisition, water quality and

pollution control; and

WHEREAS, The 1993 passage of the Keystone Recreation, Park

and Conservation Act has funded hundreds of State parks and

State forest improvements, including construction and

rehabilitation of restrooms, parking lots, roads, bridges,

visitor's centers, sewage treatment and other facilities; and

WHEREAS, The enactment of the Growing Greener I and II

programs has provided valuable investments in hundreds of State

for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, by the

American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration in

partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association;

and

WHEREAS, Today, the State park system is comprised of 121

State parks and conservation areas containing nearly 300,000

acres of land; and

WHEREAS, Residents of this Commonwealth receive myriad

benefits from our State parks and State forests, including

improved health, quality time with family and friends, enjoyment

groups; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize and celebrate the 125th

anniversary of the establishment of the State forest system, and

recognize and celebrate the 125th anniversary of the

establishment of the first State park in this Commonwealth.