PHILADELPHIA, PA — Pennsylvania officials launched the state’s third annual Outdoors for All celebration in Philadelphia on Saturday, expanding a statewide initiative aimed at increasing access to outdoor recreation as the sector contributes more than $20 billion annually to the Commonwealth’s economy.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn joined local officials and more than 25 community organizations at BLJ Community Rowing on the Schuylkill River to kick off a series of events promoting inclusive access to parks, waterways, and other outdoor spaces across Pennsylvania.
The Philadelphia event featured environmental education programs, games, music, yoga, food, and opportunities for attendees to try rowing and other water-based activities. Additional free events are scheduled in Harrisburg on July 18, Lancaster on July 23, and Pittsburgh on Aug. 15.
“Events like this show what access to the outdoors can mean for people, from the sense of belonging it creates to the mental and physical benefits that come with connecting with nature,” Dunn said.
The initiative comes as Pennsylvania seeks to capitalize on a growing outdoor recreation economy. The industry contributed $20.4 billion to the state’s economy in 2024, accounting for 2% of Pennsylvania’s gross domestic product while supporting more than 177,000 jobs and generating $9.5 billion in wages, according to figures cited by DCNR from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
July has been designated Outdoors for All Month in Pennsylvania, expanding what began as a single event in Pittsburgh in 2024 into a four-city series intended to improve access to outdoor recreation and public lands. The initiative is tied to DCNR’s broader Mosaic program, which focuses on making state parks and forests more accessible and welcoming to a wider range of visitors.
The agency recently launched expanded online accessibility tools covering more than 100 state park and forest locations and continues to invest in accessible trails, boat launches, playgrounds, and wildlife viewing areas. Pennsylvania now has more than 120 miles of Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible trails in state parks and another 82 miles in state forests, according to DCNR.
BLJ Community Rowing, the host organization for Saturday’s event, is the nation’s first Black-owned and operated rowing organization and has introduced more than 1,000 people to the sport since its founding in 2013.
“We’re excited to see DCNR intentionally building partnerships with non-traditional outdoor organizations,” said Brannon Johnson, owner and head coach of BLJ Community Rowing. “This approach will help expand access to outdoor experiences and create positive, long-term impacts for communities for years to come.”
The Commonwealth has invested nearly $1.5 billion in more than 10,000 outdoor recreation and conservation projects since 1995 through its Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Earlier this year, the Shapiro administration announced nearly $82 million in new state funding for more than 295 recreation and conservation projects statewide.
Pennsylvania manages 125 state parks and 2.2 million acres of state forestland and maintains more than 14,000 miles of trails and 6,500 local parks, one of the largest public trail systems in the eastern United States.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.