Pennsylvania's portion of the Appalachian Trail will be even more protected from encroaching development with the adoption of a state law aimed at preserving the rugged nature of the famed footpath.

Gov. Ed Rendell recently signed legislation that requires communities along the trail to adopt zoning and land-use ordinances to spare the trail from nearby development.

Most municipalities along the trail, including those in Berks County, already have zoning laws in place.

But the bill, sponsored by Rep. Robert Freeman, a Northampton County Democrat, was inspired by an ongoing dispute over the development of a private race course in a Monroe County township that did not have zoning laws.

State Rep. David G. Argall, a Schuylkill County Republican who represents parts of Berks, said the bill's adoption is a victory for the trail.

"Anyone who has ever hiked the trail understands that it is a treasure," said Argall, who cosponsored the bill.

Last year, Freeman drafted the bill to require zoning laws after seeing the lengthy battle over the proposed Alpine Rose race course play out in court. Developer Richard W. Muller Jr. wants to build a members-only course in a valley beneath a mountain ridge, a half-mile from the trail.

PennEnvironment, a Philadelphia-based environmental group, worked with Freeman's office on the legislation, said David Masur, director of the group. The fact that the bill was adopted during ongoing budget discussions speaks to the importance of the footpath to Pennsylvania, Masur said.

"The Appalachian Trail is one of the iconic places in the state," he said.

The trail is owned by the National Park Service through a series of easements, but private land abuts the trail in many areas. Under the new law, eight municipalities would have to adopt zoning laws to protect the scenic views and wild nature of the trail.

Martyann Gutierrez, president of the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club, which maintains the trail in Berks, said the footpath is still mostly wild and untouched in this area. But other communities have felt pressure from development, making this law as important as ever, she said.

"Any victory for the trail is a cause for celebration," she said.