The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced the finalists for a nearly $10 million pot from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for outdoor recreation projects. Applicants will submit formal application proposals to the National Park Service for final approval.
Recipients of these funds are required to match the funding, meaning, ultimately, Georgia’s parks and recreation areas will get a $20 million boost – though some applicants may match more than is required, bringing the estimated impact to a total of $23 million.
“The local match for the LWCF projects selected to move forward show Georgia’s commitment to continue to expand recreational opportunities. These projects will have a lasting impact on the communities of the projects selected and citizens throughout the state,” said Walter Rabon, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources.
The state DNR holds biannual application cycles and this year’s edition resulted in 72 proposals from cities and counties across the state, totaling nearly $24 million. Out of those, 27 were selected to move forward in the process. Barring serious problems with feasibility, projects are likely to be approved once they have been approved for this state.
The largest amount of funding eligible for request for a single project is $500,000 so several projects will total more than a $1 million, once the match is included. The City of Alpharetta requested $500,000 for North Park rehabilitation and the City of Marietta requested the same for West Dixie Park improvements.
The LWCF offers rural communities a chance for significant quality of life improvements, such as the $447,000 for the Baldwin County aquatic center. These funds are Phase 2 of construction, which will include a splash pad, water slide and seating. The City of Jackson, with a population of just over 5,000 in Butts County, requested $100,000 to assist in the install of playground equipment in an existing park.
LWCF began in 1964 for the purpose of creating federal, state and local government partnerships and to boost local parks and recreation areas. In 2020, the LWCF was permanently funded with at least $900 million every year. The funding for LWCF is largely pulled from the revenue of offshore oil and gas. With an estimated backlog of $30 billion for federal conservation needs, and an additional $27 billion reported from state governments of eligible projects, the need is great.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, paddling, and other outdoor recreation activities contribute a total of $788 billion annually to the economy and supports 5.2 million American jobs. With the central role that tourism plays in the Georgia economy, increased conservation and maintenance of our local parks and outdoor spaces can pay big dividends for the economy.
For more information about LWCF in Georgia visit www.gadnr.org/lwcf
