Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has approved four major grants for Lehigh County.

These grants, totaling $469,900 will provide additional resources to county-wide efforts to improve quality of life and enhance outdoor recreational experiences.

The DCNR grants and projects are:

•Master Site Plan for the Trexler Nature Preserve – $50,000. The grant will enable Lehigh County to develop a Master Site Development and Stewardship Plan for the 1,108-acre Trexler Nature Preserve and adjacent 400-acre county land in Lowhill and North Whitehall townships.

•Mountain Bike Trails in the Trexler Nature Preserve – $128,000. The grant will contribute to the development of mountain bike trails at the Trexler Nature Preserve in Lowhill and North Whitehall townships, Lehigh County. The construction will include the development of approximately 1.5 miles of trail within the North Range section of the Trexler Nature Preserve.

•Catasauqua D & L Trail gap closure plan – $250,000. The grant will contribute to the development of the D&L Trail in Hanover Township and Catasauqua Borough. Work will include the construction of approximately 1.5 miles of trail from the Lehigh County border in Catasauqua Borough to an existing pedestrian bridge in Hanover Township.

•South Mountain Land Acquisition – $41,900. The grant will serve as a payment toward the acquisition of approximately 18 acres in Upper Milford and Upper Saucon townships which will form a connection to the South Mountain Greenway. This will be done in cooperation with the Wildlands Conservancy.

“Lehigh County is committed to maintaining and improving our open and green spaces,” Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong said. “We know that they are integral to continuing to attract new residents and families to the Lehigh Valley, and they provide significant economic and environmental benefits to our region.”