The twelve counties of the Pennsylvania Wilds contain six communities designated as cities, 92 boroughs and 249 townships – and each and every one of them wants to be attractive and economically vital. Just as important, each and every one of these communities wants to define “attractive” and “economically vital” on its own terms.

One of the region’s great strengths is its rich diversity. Williamsport is not the same, culturally or economically, as Clarion. Renovo is not Bradford. Nor should it be. Each community is going to set its own goals and lay out its own path to progress. How do you envision your community’s future? What are its strongest resources? What needs to change? What is most important to preserve?

Using resources like this website, the Pennsylvania Wilds Design Guide, the Pennsylvania Wilds Design Assistance Program and others, we hope to connect you to the people, programs and knowledge you need to make redevelopment work.

Tourism, Industry and the Tourism Industry: Our Economy, Past, Present and Future

All of our communities are surrounded by outstanding natural resources, and many have downtowns and residential areas which boast a wealth of historic character and charm. These are the kinds of resources that cannot be outsourced to low-wage labor overseas.

The Pennsylvania Wilds initiative aims to make the most of these resources. Too often, however, people confuse this with an “anti-industry” bias. Nothing could be further from the truth. Manufacturing and resource extraction are not just part of our cultural heritage, they are a vital part of our future. The goal, then, is to forge a plan that allows industry and tourism not only to co-exist, but to compliment one another. Successful projects across the region prove that it can be (and has been) done.

The Pennsylvania Wilds, at its core, focuses on community first. When you look at a project like Kane’s “Art in the Wilds” or a proposed new amphitheater in Smethport’s Hamlin Lake Park, you see things that will be of interest to people visiting the area. But these are primarily projects designed to make these communities better places to live.

And tourists, it turns out, are extremely interested in visiting authentic, livable communities like the ones in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Pennsylvania is among the nation’s leading travel destinations, and tourism is the Commonwealth’s second-leading industry. Tourism is particularly supportive of small, entrepreneurial businesses that provide such a large percentage of job growth in the U.S.

We have been fortunate to have wonderful partners within our state government who recognized that potential and have provided increased funding for improving natural resource and community assets. But it is ultimately up to the communities of the PA Wilds to make the most of what they have through this initiative.

Within these pages we hope to inspire you with a variety of examples and solid resources to help you navigate the complex world of community development. Don’t miss the site’s main feature -- the “Resources” section. That’s where you’ll find listings for federal, state, regional and local grants to help you move your projects forward. We hope you find the information helpful. As always, we welcome feedback.