State Building Commission Approves Grants For 29 Improvement Projects At DNR Properties

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the approval of Stewardship funding for Friends Grants to 24 nonprofit organizations for improvement at DNR properties across the state. Governor Evers’ State Building Commission approved the funding, which includes 29 projects for a total of $373,900 in Stewardship grants, leveraging $392,700 in matching contributions and $4.2 million in total project costs.

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund was created in 1989 to preserve important natural communities, protect water quality and fisheries and expand opportunities for outdoor recreation. Within this program, a portion of Stewardship funds from the state’s biennial budget is used to support important recreational projects and improvements at state properties. The Stewardship program's annual funding makes many construction and property development projects at the DNR’s state parks, trails, forests and other state lands possible.

Stewardship funds support several DNR-administered grant programs, including grants to DNR Friends Groups. Through the Stewardship Friends Grant Program, the DNR partners with Friends Groups and nonprofit conservation organizations to improve facilities, build new recreation projects and restore habitat on state properties.

Each year, $500,000 from the Stewardship program is set aside for grants to Friends Groups and nonprofit conservation organizations. The DNR recognizes the important role Friends Groups play in meeting the development and restoration needs of state properties. Thank you to these partners for their dedication and continued support for DNR properties and these projects.

The following projects were approved and will move forward in the grant award process:

• Friends of Blue Mound State Park – Amphitheater Phase II
• Friends of Buckhorn State Park – Boardwalk Replacement
• Friends of the Cedarburg Bog, Inc. – Buckthorn Control Phase I
• Friends of Copper Falls State Park – Copper Falls Pavilion Phase III
• Friends of Crex – Crex Rest Area Well Phase I
• Friends of Devil's Lake State Park – East Bluff Trail Upgrades
• Friends of the Fox River Trail – Fox River Trail Rebuilding
• Friends of High Cliff State Park – Lime Kiln Trail Remediation and Rerouting Phase I
• Friends of Horicon Marsh International Education and Visitor Center – Patio Map Restoration
• Friends of Interstate and Straight Lake State Parks – ADA Accessible Sidewalk to Shelter
• Friends of Interstate and Straight Lake State Parks – Silverbrook Interpretive Signs
• Friends of Lapham Peak – New Lodge Building Phase III
• Friends of the Kettle Moraine Inc. – Accessible Drinking Fountain
• Kettle Moraine Natural History Association – Pollinator and Prairie Habitat Development with Educational Signage at Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit
• Friends of Kohler Andrae State Park – Beach Parking Lots Safety Path Phase III
• Friends of Lake Wissota State Park – Interpretive and Informational Signage
• Friends of Mirror Lake State Park – Beach Shower
• Friends of Mirror Lake State Park – Firewood Shed
• Friends of Mirror Lake State Park – Outdoor Drinking Fountain
• Friends of Navarino Nature Center, Inc. – Accessible Bog Boardwalk at the Navarino Wildlife Area
• Friends of Peninsula State Park – Fire Rings and Picnic Tables Phase II
• Ice Age Trail Alliance – Ice Age Trail Updates at Plover River State Fisheries Area
• Friends of Potawatomi State Park – Accessible Kayak Launch
• Friends of Rib Mountain State Park – Paved Walking Path Expansion
• Friends of Mirror Lake State Park – Rocky Arbor Campground Host Site Phase II
• Friends of Mirror Lake State Park – Rocky Arbor Gate
• Friends of Whitefish Dunes – Trail to Cave Point County Park
• Friends of Wildcat Mountain State Park – Emerging Woody Invasives Control
• Friends of Yellowstone State Park – ADA Accessibility Kayak Launch Phase II

Learn more about the Stewardship grant and Friends Group programs at the Grants to Friends Groups and Friends Group webpages.