Skip Navigation

Pennsylvania could soon have a national park

The National Park Service currently classifies the Water Gap as a national recreation area

  • By Kat Bolus/WVIA
Proposed Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve Map

 John Donahue

Proposed Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve Map

A proposed new map splits the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area into a preserve and a national park.

“We tried to include the most important natural and cultural resources in what would be the national park section … we made sure that there are no state lands or private properties involved in that there is no consideration of eminent domain, etc.,” said John Donahue, a retired superintendent of the park.

Last year, Donahue along with representatives from the Pennsylvania and New Jersey chapters of the Sierra Club proposed turning the recreation area into a national park and preserve and renaming it the Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve.

The National Park Service currently classifies the Water Gap as a national recreation area. Parks with the national park designation, like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, are in what Donahue calls the “crown jewels” of federally managed lands.

Hunting is banned in national parks but is allowed in national preserves.

The plan has been met with opposition from hunting associations as well as the Delaware Water Gap Defense Fund. The nonprofit, formed in February, is made up of concerned residents from both Pennsylvania and New Jersey who oppose changing the park’s designation. The park is in both states.

“We tried to essentially address all of the concerns that people have raised… we’ve left a lot of places open that sportsmen identified, some of the agricultural leases, some of the age habitat that’s important to various kinds of hunting, we also wanted to provide as greater protection for the River Corridor as possible,” Donahue said.

Shohola, Dingman, Milford, Delaware, Lehman and Westfall townships have all opposed the designation switch, according to the No National Park group. Fifteen municipalities in New Jersey have also opposed the change.

“All of the requirements in their resolutions have been met,” said Donahue. “So we’ll be asking them to revisit and either to drop their opposition or to find other reasons why they oppose the national park and preserve.”

As a hunter, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright is among those in opposition. His office says the representative for the 8th congressional district has been in close contact with local officials and area residents. They cite issues related to hunting, fishing, wildlife management, outdoor recreation, property values and eminent domain.

It would take an act of Congress to switch the 70,000-acre park’s designation.

“We plan to make sure this is a success for everybody,” said Donahue. “This is about being inclusive. It’s about creating more outdoor equity.”

Support for WITF is provided by:

Become a WITF sponsor today »

Support for WITF is provided by:

Become a WITF sponsor today »

Up Next
Regional & State News

Shorter days, asking parents for help: What the ‘teacher shortage’ looks like in 4 Pennsylvania districts