As part of this celebration, the Partnership highlighted the wonderful projects that were awarded Mini-Grants in the fall of 2012. These projects are on-going and are scheduled to be completed in 2013. Projects that were awarded Mini-Grants were:
Developing
Equity in the Food System, Capital RC&D
Developing Equity in the Food
System: Techniques and Strategies to Serve All Residents Program will provide an opportunity for
partners, supporting organizations and businesses within the South Mountain
region to address the issues surrounding equity and inclusion in their services
and programming with specific emphasis on our regions food system.
The
primary purpose for the training is to provide the necessary information and
guidance to ensure that underrepresented communities (socio-economic, racial,
cultural, gender, etc.) are included in both voice and representation in the
efforts of participating groups including South Mountain Partners (SMP) focused
on agriculture, agritourism, and those whose recreational activities rely on
the regions agriculture. Additional participants will include organizations,
businesses and individuals in the region that have begun meeting as the South
Central PA Food System Alliance (SCPA-FSA).
The
program will be held at Wilson College in February 2013 and will provide
one-day training with a facilitator focused on increasing participant capacity
to review and improve their programs, services and businesses to welcome input
and participation by underrepresented communities.
Goddard
Leadership Institute, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Goddard Leadership Legacy
Institute is a week-long summer residential program designed to engage 25
promising early level high school students in natural resources stewardship
learning and training in leadership and civic engagement. In addition to being
led by environmental educators, the program incorporates professional leaders
in a variety of fields and challenges teamwork and problem solving throughout
the week through an ongoing team project and individual action projects. The Central
Pennsylvania Conservancy is launching the Institute in July 2013.
Lessons in ecology will be coupled with an understanding of threats to sustainability and how effective leadership and citizen engagement can resolve them. The post-program experience will be enhanced by offering volunteer service projects, online interaction of teachers and students, and recruitment into the Conservation District’s Envirothon program.
The Goddard Institute takes inspiration from Maurice K. Goddard’s legacy which includes a commitment to professionalism and civil service; leadership on environmental and watershed scale approach to water management; and dedicated funding for natural resource conservation. A brochure for the Institute is currently available from the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy.
Simply Moving, Cumberland County
Planning Department
The Cumberland County Planning Department (CCPD) in partnership with the Carlisle Area Health & Wellness Foundation (CAHWF) is in the process of updating its popular park and trail guide, Simply Moving.
Simply Moving is a comprehensive guide to public outdoor recreation in Cumberland and Perry counties. The guide serves a dual purpose: first, to generate awareness about the parks and trails within both Counties as a means of promoting nature-based tourism; and second, to encourage health and wellness by promoting these recreational facilities as great places for free, close-to-home physical activity. A printed version will be widely distributed, and will be supplemented by a web-based electronic version as well.
Gettysburg
Inner Loop Greenway Mater Plan, Healthy Adams Bicycle/Pedestrian, Inc (HABPI)
Healthy
Adams Bicycle/Pedestrian, Inc.(HABPI) is a non-profit group of volunteers who
are working to develop walking and bicycling trails or paths in Adams County
for recreation and transportation. This project will create an essential
Greenway Master Plan for the section of the Gettysburg Inner Loop (GIL) from
the Gettysburg Post Office on Buford Avenue to the new Bus Hub on Carlisle
Street. The most critical question that will be answered is the precise
alignment/trail type/greenway description on West Railroad Street. Creating a
master plan of this segment now will enable timely construction as it will
answer critical questions in our approach to shovel ready status.
South
Mountain Birding Guide, Audubon PA
The
Audubon PA looked to develop a web-based and printed guide for watching birds
within and around the periphery of the entire South Mountain in Pennsylvania.
The guide will include general information about the value of South Mountain to
nesting and migrating birds. It will also identify (via map and text) specific
birding sites, directions, and interesting or unique species found at each site
by season.
A web
version of the trail will be featured as a regional focal area within the
existing state-wide
Pennsylvania Birding Trail website. A printed version will also be produced
as a two-sided map that folds down to an an easy-to-carry brochure size.
