For the sixth year, River Network is partnering with the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) to provide nonprofits and tribes with funding to steward the numerous Wild and Scenic Rivers flowing over 13,400 river miles in 41 states and Puerto Rico. These designated segments of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System are protected, free-flowing rivers that provide opportunities and access for recreation, clean drinking water, and help fuel local economies.

Last year we announced a new funding type, Relationship Building Awards, to foster a shared stewardship approach between local US Forest Service district offices and nonprofits and Tribes. In its first year, we successfully funded four groups, and are excited to fund new groups this year as they build relationships and develop projects in partnership with the US Forest Service.

Relationship Building Grants

One of the main goals of the joint US Forest Service and River Network Wild and Scenic Stewardship Partners program is to foster collaboration between the groups stewarding these rivers and the Forest Service. However, we recognize there are groups interested in partnering with the Forest Service who don’t have adequate time or capacity to do so. The Relationship Building Awards cover salaries and/or travel costs for organizations to build these relationships, and they help build the foundation needed to apply for our Stewardship Impact Grant.

We’re hoping to make federal agency funding more available to groups of all sizes and with varying capacities, not just those with historic relationships already in place. By increasing the capacity of organizations to build the foundation of these critical agency relationships, we hope to see more groups apply for and receive federal dollars to support the stewardship of our cherished Wild and Scenic Rivers.

To qualify for the Relationship Building Award, projects had to take a shared stewardship approach on rivers administered by the Forest Service, be aligned with the Administration’s Justice40 goals, and meet other criteria. We received many strong applications, reflecting the amazing work of water, justice, and river advocates across the country.

We’re excited to announce the following 2024 Relationship Building Award recipients and a snapshot of their projects:

• Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians – in Michigan, will build a relationship with Hiawatha National Forest staff to work toward stronger collaborative fisheries management. Specifically, they are interested in rehabilitating riverine whitefish runs on the Wild and Scenic Carp River, along with exploring other shared stewardship opportunities on the Carp River.
• Campamento Murcielago – in Puerto Rico, will partner with El Yunque National Forest to take intergenerational groups of Puerto Ricans from the local communities of Puerto Rico’s three Wild and Scenic Rivers on educational experiences that help them to understand our watershed, human impacts on the rivers, and to have a greater sense of their role as stewards of our island.
• Maqlaqs Paddle – in Oregon, will collaborate with the Fremont-Winema Forest Service, downriver tribal leaders from neighboring tribal communities, and Klamath Modoc Yahooskin members, to lead the reconstruction of a traditional dugout canoe on the traditional lands of the Ewiksiknii Maklaks, and along the Klamath Wild and Scenic River. “The revival of our relationship to our forests, canoes, waters, fish, and relatives is critical to the survival of our peoples, lands, waters, and fish.”

Stewardship Awards

Since the start of this funding opportunity, we have supported over 20 groups steward their local Wild and Scenic River ranging from river clean-ups to invasive species management to improving river access. To qualify for the Stewardship Award, projects must take a shared stewardship approach on rivers administered by the Forest Service and meet additional criteria. As with years past, we received many more strong applications than we were able to award – there is so much impactful work being done around the country!

The 2024 Stewardship Award recipients work from east to west on a variety of projects:

• Amigos Bravos – in New Mexico, will provide hundreds of valuable water quality datapoints on the Rio Grande and Red River, filling in critical gaps in data.
• Children’s Forest of Central Oregon – in Oregon, will connect approximately 225 Latine youth and family members to the Deschutes Wild and Scenic River through recreational and educational outings.
• Conservation Northwest – in Washington, will provide environmental education and outreach about how to recreate with respect to wildlife and habitat and aims to reduce human-caused impacts to flora and fauna while also preventing negative wildlife-human encounters in popular areas along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.
• Friends of the Metolius – in Oregon, will add new water quality testing locations, including tributaries, add testing of additional analytes, and increase the number of months that they test water along the Metolius River.
• Kentucky Waterways Alliance – in Kentucky, will work to improve water quality in the Red River through septic assistance for low-income families, cleanups, and environmental education and outreach.
• Kern River Conservancy – in California, will address impacts from high use including erosion from foot traffic, littering, and habitat degradation along the Kern River by implementing various volunteer stewardship activities.
• National Forest Foundation – in Montana, will support stewardship of the Flathead River by the 2025 Mission Mountains Youth Crew (MMYC). MMYC goes beyond a summer job by providing Indigenous youth with life skills, hands-on experiences in outdoor careers, and cultural connections.
• Native Expeditions – in Arkansas, will launch a broad stakeholder collaboration in education, leadership, and stewardship to train and improve regional schools, landowners, and river enthusiasts on the Mulberry River.
• Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation – in Montana, will conduct two 8-day expeditions with local youth (ages 15-18) on the Middle Fork Clearwater River: one on the Bitterroot National Forest and one on the Nez Perce-Perce Clearwater National Forest. Youth participants will perform trash removal, campsite inventorying, wilderness character monitoring, and trail work.
• Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards – in North Carolina, implement 14 designated campsites along the Chattooga River, as well as clear and maintain a remote section of the Fork Mountain Trail (6.4 miles) that leads to all of these designated, popular sites.
• Tuolumne River Preservation Trust – in California, will organize and conduct over 12 volunteer restoration stewardship events that will directly benefit the Tuolumne River and the surrounding area that is still recovering from 2013 Rim Fire that burned over a quarter million acres.
• Wild Alabama – in Alabama, will continue their legacy of stewardship and conservation education along the Sipsey Fork River through stream side clean-ups, eradication of non-native invasive plants along the riparian area, conduct monthly water monitoring in Alabama’s only Wild & Scenic River.

In 2024, River Network and the US Forest Service are funding 15 different organizations and tribes scattered across the country, even into Puerto Rico. We want to extend our gratitude to all who took the time to apply for this funding and congratulations to the recipients – we can’t wait to see the impact we’ll have together!