MILFORD, PA, October, 7 – In an effort to protect critical watershed lands and water quality in the Delaware River valley region, The Pinchot Institute for Conservation has received an $82,500 grant from the Philadelphia based William Penn Foundation to complete a project titled “Common Waters: Clean Water, Healthy Forests, and Sustainable Communities.” The mission of the Common Waters project is to preserve clean water, natural places and working lands through cooperation, education, and research,

Ed Brannon, a Senior Fellow for the Pinchot Institute, speaking on behalf of the Common Waters project said, “We are gratified that the William Penn Foundation has endorsed our efforts to better protect the critical resources of the Delaware Basin above the Water Gap.  This effort is targeted at finding ways to work together more effectively in the public interest.”  

This grant, along with support from the National Park Service’s Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, will be targeted at conducting a demonstration project that identifies lands that serve both to protect critical watersheds, and those areas most important for water quality protection. The second phase will be a Forum in which participants can explore how to work in partnership with governmental and non-profit agencies to advance the agenda: Common Waters: Clean Water, Healthy Forests, and Sustainable Communities.

John Donahue, Superintendent of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area, said, “This is a great step forward in promoting cooperation and joint problem solving across municipal, county, and state boundaries. The resources of our region are critical to region’s economy, citizen’s lifestyles, and the quality of our natural environment. I am delighted the William Penn Foundation is supporting our efforts to work together for common goals.”

Common Waters grew from a regional meeting of interested parties determined to explore ways in which agencies, states, counties, non-profits, and conservation organizations could collaborate on growth and conservation issues in the region above the Delaware Water Gap. Current participants include the Delaware River Basin Commission, county planners from the tri-state area, state agencies, Federal partners such as the National Park Service, EPA, US Forest Service, and conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy of New Jersey, and the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, the local land trust.

The Pinchot Institute for Conservation is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and founded in Milford, PA that focuses on solving natural resource management and forest conservation challenges through nonpartisan research, education and technical assistance.

The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through efforts that foster rich cultural expression, strengthen children’s futures, and deepen connections to nature and caring community.   Learn more about the Foundation online at www.williampennfoundation.org.