2023 Wilderness Stewardship Performance Grants Awarded
Twenty-five projects funded on National Forests across the nation
The National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance 2023 Wilderness Stewardship Performance (WSP) Funding Program, offered in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, awarded $810,190 to 25 Wilderness Stewardship Performance projects in designated wilderness areas across the nation. This funding enables non-profit partner organizations and volunteer stewards to assist their Forest Service partners in completing a variety of wilderness stewardship tasks including educating wilderness users, monitoring opportunities for solitude, and inventory and control of invasive species.
The slate of projects selected this year will support Wilderness Stewardship Performance score increases in 69 wilderness areas spanning 20 U.S. states all Forest Service regions. In addition to completing necessary wilderness work, non-profit partners will engage approximately 2,000 volunteers in 40,418 hours of wilderness stewardship activities, leveraging federal dollars with $1,560,720 in cash and in-kind support at a ratio of almost 2:1.
“The National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance is proud to work with the USDA Forest Service to support our non-profit partners in wilderness stewardship work across the nation.” said Joelle Marier, Executive Director of National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance. “With local expertise, these member organizations connect thousands of volunteers and others with Wilderness while leveraging their extensive networks to increase the impact of Federal dollars on wilderness stewardship. Their passion and effort are essential to maintaining an enduring Wilderness resource.”
The Wilderness Stewardship Performance grant program is a partnership between the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance and the USDA Forest Service. Grants support non-profit organizations conducting wilderness stewardship activities that contribute to improvement of Forest Service Wilderness Stewardship Performance scores for designated wilderness areas. Wilderness Stewardship Performance is a suite of activities the Forest Service uses to measure their wilderness stewardship accomplishments and inform ongoing wilderness management. Congratulations to the wilderness stewardship groups that received awards this year:
Ascend Wilderness Experience
Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation
Colorado Mountain Club
Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance
Eldorado NF Interp Association
Friends of Central Cascades
Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Friends of Wilderness
Great Old Broads for Wilderness– Cascades Volcano Broadband
Great Old Broads for Wilderness – Willamette Broadband
Idaho Conservation League
New Mexico Wild
Nordhouse Dunes
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
Save Our Canyons
Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation
Sitka Conservation Society
Sky Island Alliance
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
Upper Gila Watershed Alliance
Ventana Wilderness Alliance
Western Slope Conservation Center
Wild Alabama
Wild Arizona
Wilderness Workshop
Wyoming Wilderness Association