State Sen. Lisa M. Boscola, D-18th, recently announced Whitehall Township was a recipient of a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant.

A total of $2,612,200 in recreation and conservation grants through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program will aid local projects throughout the Lehigh Valley, Boscola said.

Whitehall Township was approved for $22,000 to prepare a feasibility study for developing a recreation center and $36,800 to prepare an update to its Comprehensive Recreation, Park and Open Space Plan.

“The Lehigh Valley’s quality of life is made better through investments in our parks and the preservation of open space. Through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, the commonwealth partners with local governments and nonprofits to improve parks and preserve open space that benefits our residents and visitors to the Lehigh Valley,” Boscola said. “The Lehigh Valley is blessed with wonderful community parks and natural spaces. This state investment will assist in the further development of our local parks and preservation of natural spaces.”

Other projects were approved for funding.

Wildlands Conservancy was awarded $335,000 for the rehabilitation of Fairview Park, $140,000 for the restoration of two miles of the Bushkill Creek in Easton and $120,000 for the restoration of 900 feet of Fry’s Run in Williams Township.

Bethlehem City was awarded $105,000 for the rehabilitation of Fairview Park and $441,000 for the development of the Monocacy Way Trail.

Northampton County was awarded $300,000 for the development of Gall Farm Preserve in Plainfield Township and $654,000 for the development of the Two Rivers Trail in Bushkill and Plainfield townships.

Emmaus Borough was awarded $318,000 for the rehabilitation of Lions Community Field.

Easton was awarded $115,000 for the development of Vanderveer Park.

Upper Mount Bethel Township was awarded $25,000 to prepare a trail study for the development of approximately 5.5 miles of the Northern Tier Trail from Minsi Lake Park to the Delaware River in Portland Borough.

Funding will also be used to increase ADA access, landscaping, signage and other improvements at the sites.

The Community Conservation Partnerships Program is administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation to provide financial and technical assistance to local governments, rail and trail organizations, land trusts and other nonprofits for park, recreation, conservation and greenway projects.

The Recreation and Conservation Grant program is funded with a variety of state and federal funding sources, including the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (Key 93), which includes Key-Community and Key-Land Trust and the Environmental Stewardship Fund.