The Peralta Regional Park in Pinal County was funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund and completed in February. Situated in the Superstition Mountains, the park has multi-use motorized trails, ramadas and campsites.
Arizona was awarded over $6 million by the Department of the Interior, to help expand and support outdoor recreation and conservation projects.
The federal funding comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) which was allocated to Arizona State Parks and Trails who oversees the grant program.
Nearly $300 million was disbursed to all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
The grant targets improvements and expands opportunities for tribes and underserved communities, at no cost to taxpayers. Through the LWCF, the state is able to provide needed funding for a wide scope of outdoor recreation projects including ADA accessibility upgrades or acquisition of park lands.
In past years, the fund has assisted in park improvements, trail maintenance and even public pool renovations.
Chief of grants and trails Mickey Rogers said the grant is available to government agencies on a rolling basis, those who are interested can apply at any time.
“We have a scoring criteria that’s based on a state comprehensive outdoor recreation plan,” Rogers said.
The “SCORP,” prioritizes factors such as collaboration, environmental concerns, and the public who it serves.
Rogers said the grant does require a one to one match.
LWCF funding provided the Peralta Regional Park in Pinal County with a stargazing node for a telescope and group picnic sites.
“We also have Heritage Funding, which is a similar program that can match the Land and Water Conservation Fund,” Rogers said.
The Heritage Fund is similar to the LWCF, but is open to non-profit organizations in addition to government agencies and can fund historic preservation projects.
The National Park Service will also be updating their federal program’s manual to direct states to work more closely with underrepresented communities in developing a comprehensive recreation plan.
Since 1965, the LWCF has awarded over $5.2 billion to fund more than 45,000 projects across the country.
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.