2024 Wild & Scenic Rivers Stewardship Partners Funding
Applications are now closed.
River Network and the United States Forest Service are excited to announce the sixth year of funding for stewardship activities on Forest Service administered Wild & Scenic Rivers (WSR) and surrounding lands. In 2024 we offered two types of awards: 1. Stewardship Impact Awards – these awards are for WSR stewardship projects for groups with established relationships with the Forest Service, and can cover a range of stewardship activities; and 2. Relationship Building and Planning Awards – these planning awards are intended to support relationship building between organizations and their local Forest Service offices.
Background and Goals of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Stewardship Partners Funding
Rogue River Cleanup volunteers in Oregon. Led by Curry Watersheds Partnership. Photo credit: Kelly Timchak.
The National Wild & Scenic River System covers over 13,400 river miles from coast to coast in 41 states and Puerto Rico, including over 5,000 river miles managed by the Forest Service. Wild and Scenic Rivers are free-flowing rivers and help preserve unique values including recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, and cultural heritage. Increasing visitation to WSRs reflects the importance that outdoor spaces have in our daily mental and physical well-being as well as the need to foster a broader constituency in stewarding these rivers for the future.
The goal of this funding is to support a shared stewardship approach, between local groups and the Forest Service, expand the types of organizations working with the Forest Service, encourage engagement in conservation efforts and ensure the protection of designated rivers and streams. Local groups across the country work to restore land, increase public access to our waterways, and provide environmental education on and around these special rivers and this funding provides critical resources for planning and implementing on-the-ground work in partnership with Forest Service.
2024 Funding
In 2024, we had $200,000 available to award to local organizations, which will be divided roughly equally between the following two award categories:
Relationship Building & Planning Awards
These awards are intended for organizations who are interested in working with the Forest Service on Wild & Scenic River stewardship but may not yet have these relationships with agency staff needed to do so. The awards can support the time for capacity building to develop these relationships and start planning for work together. River Network and Forest Service can facilitate introductions and connections with local USFS district offices for awardees to support relationship development. Groups in this category may be eligible to apply for full stewardship funding the following year.
🌱 Stewardship Impact Awards
These awards are for WSR stewardship projects ready for increased investment for groups with established relationships with the Forest Service. Projects can cover a range of stewardship activities (see the list below) and are expected to leverage additional investment in the stewardship work and engage a range of partners and community members.
