National Forest System Trail Stewardship Grants For Field Season 2017

The National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance, in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, American Hiking Society, Back Country Horsemen of America, the International Mountain Biking Association, the BlueRibbon Coalition, and the American Motorcyclist Association, has announced project selections for the National Forest System Trail Stewardship Grants for National Forest trails for the 2017 Field season.

The Trail Stewardship Grant Program awards funds to trails and stewardship organizations for increasing trail maintenance accomplishments and reducing deferred maintenance (trail backlog) on National Forest System trails. A total of 23 grants, for $230,000 were made available to trail and stewardship organizations for both motorized and non-motorized trail uses. A total of 90 proposals were received, requesting more than  $1 million in funding.

A list of selected organizations and grant amounts is attached. Trail work will begin immediately and will affect trails in every Region of the Forest Service. Trail Grants ranged in size from $3,605 to $17,641. The Trail Grant program elicited more than $440,000 in matching cash and more than $750,000 in in-kind matches.

More than 2,500 volunteers are expected to participate across these selected projects.  More than 1,200 miles of trail will be maintained, additional signing, structure repair and a bridge will be replaced using these grant funds. These projects will go a long way to reducing the trail maintenance backlog on important trails around the country and increasing volunteer and trail crew participation.

Further information on the National Forest System Trail Stewardship Grants program can be found on the NWSA website at:  www.wildernessalliance.org.

Questions about the Trail Stewardship Grant program may be addressed to the Grant Manager, Randy Welsh, Executive Director, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance at 801-808-2167 or randy@wildernessalliance.org.

"The National Forest Trails Stewardship Grant Program was well received by the entire trails community with 90 different proposals. Unfortunately, we only had money to select 23 projects, but these grants will encourage a huge increase in the number of volunteers and public involved with National Forest trails," said Welsh.