The jewel-like Blue Marsh Lake located northwest of Philadelphia was honored last year as the Corps of Engineers National Resources Management Project of the Year in 2013 for its popularity, beauty and ability to attract partner organizations whose members contribute resources and labor to maintain and improve the park.

The tiny, 1,150-acre Corps lake more than makes up for its small size by thinking big, and attracts almost a million visits from many nearby states to fish, boat and hike or bike the 30-mile Blue Marsh trail, designated in 2011 as a National Recreation Trail. The lake features peaceful No Wake Zones beloved by local paddlers and birders.

More than 800 volunteers, including four internship participants, contributed almost 6,000 hours of interpretive, environmental and maintenance services to help the Corps provide visitors with a positive recreation experience, providing labor savings equal to $124,000, almost 10% of the projects total budget. One spring event, the annual Take Pride in Blue Marsh day, attracted more than 650 volunteers for a day of picking up litter, building picnic tables, maintaining trails and other vital activities.

Other volunteer activities include the US Coast Guard's water safety presentations, the Boy Scouts' budget-saving can recycling program managed as a fundraiser with little Corps involvement, the Eagle Scout who constructed a trail bridge, the Adopt a Trail program and many others helps make Blue Marsh a wonderful place to get some exercise and fresh air. These partners also help Blue Marsh provide programs the project otherwise could not afford.

The project is also used by organizations such as the local YMCA, Rotary Club and American Heart Association for their own successful fundraisers.