Support Your Parks

Admin / February 02, 2021

FWSP depends on the generosity of donors for the funds required to carry out its mission of preserving, protecting, promoting, and enhancing Wisconsin State Parks, Trails, Forests, and Recreation Areas.

Support FWSP
Stock Donations
Corporate Sponsor

ln collaboration with over 80 local Friend's chapters, we seek to enrich the park experience for the millions of people who visit each year and to ensure that millions more will be able to enjoy Wisconsin's natural treasures in the future.

Join a local friend's group

We also educate lawmakers and citizens on issues that impact their parks. And each year, we support local Friends groups by providing funds for education-related activities such as hiring park naturalists, developing interpretive exhibits, hosting wildlife demonstrations and outdoor skill training sessions, and improving key infrastructure in our parks.
We are continually seeking to grow our capacity to positively impact Wisconsin parks. If you or your business would be interested in partnering with FWSP, please contact us.

Patricia Loosen

Executive Director FWSP

101 S. Webster Street PR6

Madison, WI 53707

Patricia.Loosen@FWSP.org

PH 608-294-0810

Support FWSP
Stock Donations
Corporate Sponsor

Join a local friend's group

Patricia Loosen

Executive Director FWSP

101 S. Webster Street PR6

Madison, WI 53707

Patricia.Loosen@FWSP.org

PH 608-294-0810

2021 Gift Packages:

“Gifts that keep on giving – Give the Gift of Recreation!”

Welcome to The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks online store for 2021 Ordering online makes shopping very easy. Orders are processed and shipped within 1-2 business days via USPS.
The 2021 state park vehicle admission stickers and trail passes make great gifts. They are gifts that can be used every day, all year long, all around the state at our beautiful Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.
The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks online store uses PayPal. You can shop with or without a PayPal account. It's easy:

2021 FWSP Online Store - Buy Stickers here!

by Admin on February 02, 2021

2021 Gift Packages: “ Gifts that keep on giving – Give the Gift of Recreation!” Welcome to The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks on...

Since its inception in 1996, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks has worked with state park, forest, trail, and recreation area Friends Groups to improve state lands experience for the millions of people who visit each year and to ensure that millions more will be able to enjoy Wisconsin’s natural beauty in the future.

Click the map to enlarge. (Courtesy of WI DNR)

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of conservation, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks was created to preserve, protect, promote and enhance Wisconsin’s state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is a non-profit umbrella organization supporting over 80+ friends groups around the state. FWSP provides technical support, sponsors events such as Work*Play*Earth Day, an annual Volunteer Jamboree, photography contest, and Gold Seal and HERO awards. It also provides grant opportunities for the state parks.

Every year friends groups provide thousands of volunteer hours to help support the mission and activities of more than 70 Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas. Friends members: serve as campground hosts, visitor center hosts, naturalists, and nature center hosts, adopt a trail volunteers, and assist with other special projects at the property;
raise money to purchase playground equipment, interpretive displays, signs, shelters, kiosks, educational materials, and more;
organize annual park cleanups and regular trail work days;
plan and help with special events including Candlelight nights, Community campfires, festivals/concerts, educational programs, and other special events;
provide and assist with concessions; and assist with the construction of trails, shelters and accessible cabins, birdhouses, and more.

Other Links:

The Friends of FWSP

by Admin on February 01, 2021

Since its inception in 1996, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks has worked with state park, forest, trail, and recreation area Friends Gr...

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks mission is:

Preserving, Promoting, Protecting, and Enhancing Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.

FWSP is the official umbrella organization of the Friends groups for state parks, trails, forests, and recreation areas in Wisconsin. Friends of Wisconsin State Parks supports the work of 87 local Friends chapters around the state and the work that they do at the park, forest, trail, or recreation areas that they are associated with.

Our organization is made up of volunteers and people like you who have a love of our state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas and a desire to support their recreational, environmental, and economic value. Members of our organization promote the mission of the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks to preserve and protect our parks’ natural resources and to provide recreational opportunities for all.

The FWSP and the local groups work on projects and events at the state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas around the state that enhance the property and provide enjoyment for the many visitors each year. Our friends work to protect our natural resources and preserve Wisconsin's unique natural treasures for future generations.

In addition, FWSP carries out its mission through these examples:

Preserve
FWSP sponsors the annual Work*Play*Earth Day projects around the state in April each year — volunteers and Friends members complete projects and clean up at state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.

Protect
FWSP advocates on state park system issues in an effort to protect Wisconsin’s beautiful state park, forest, trail, and recreation area properties. FWSP also hosts Friends Summit meetings around the state so that local Friends chapters are informed and supported in their local area.

Promote
FWSP funds projects and issues grants to local Friends chapters for educational programs and interpretive projects around the state at parks, forests, trails and recreation areas for visitors to enjoy. FWSP hosts an annual Photo contest to promote recreation at state park system properties.

Enhance
FWSP funds Tree and Flower projects at park offices and high visibility areas for the enjoyment of park visitors around the state. Friends chapters also use grant funding for projects that enhance parks, forests, and trails.

About FWSP

by Admin on November 25, 2020

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks mission is: Preserving, Promoting, Protecting, and Enhancing Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, a...

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks are working on behalf of Friends Groups and state land users. Key priorities and action items are listed below. Please share with your Friends Group, legislators and other decision-makers. Find your legislator here https://legis.wisconsin.gov/. Consider contacting members of the powerful Joint Finance Committee. Read More about our positions.

Legislative Issues

by Admin on November 25, 2020

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks are working on behalf of Friends Groups and state land users. Key priorities and action items ar...

Check out this link for detailed list of grant resources

The Natural Resources Foundation.

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks works closely with The Natural Resources Foundation. Specifically, we introduce our Friends Groups to grant opportunities offered by The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin funds projects that have a significant and positive impact on Wisconsin’s lands, waters, and wildlife, and that connect people to Wisconsin’s natural wonders.

The Natural Resources Foundation have invested nearly $7 million in public and private conservation efforts—from funding statewide wildlife monitoring programs to creating butterfly gardens at local schools, and from building trails at state parks to helping recover the federally endangered whooping crane.
Please click the following link for information:

https://www.wisconservation.org/grant-programs/

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship grants to Nonprofit Conservation Organizations (NCOs) applications will be due March 15, 2021

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship grants to Nonprofit Conservation Organizations (NCOs) applications will be due March 15, 2021, for the following grant subprograms:

at Area grants
Natural Area grants
Stream Bank Protection grants
State Trail grants

Application material for the fiscal 2021-2022 NCO grant cycle is available online:

This application cycle is open to nonprofit applicants for land acquisition projects. Please direct any questions to DNR Grant Project Managers for the appropriate region. You can find their contact information on DNR's website.

On behalf of DNR's NCO grant team, we look forward to working with you and the next round of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship successes.

Sincerely,
Pam Foster Felt
Stewardship Nonprofit Grant Manager

The David and Joyce Weizenicker Fund for State Parks

The David and Joyce Weizenicker Fund for State Parks was established to support projects on Wisconsin State Park properties that facilitate accessibility for senior citizens, especially trail development, maintenance and restoration, and the development and maintenance of rest stops, including benches, overlooks, and interpretive signage. Grants range from $500 to $5,000.

Photo: David and Joyce Weizenicker pictured at Kinnickinnic State Park at the unveiling of a new trail funded in part by the David and Joyce Weizenicker Fund for State Parks. Photo by Caitlin Williamson

Eligibility:
Applicant must be a Friends group of a Wisconsin State Park property, with a formal agreement in place with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
A 1:1 match is required. Match may include cash or in-kind support such as volunteer hours or donated materials.
Project expenses may not have been incurred prior to submitting the application. More information....

Grant Information

by Admin on November 24, 2020

Check out this link for detailed list of grant resources The Natural Resources Foundation. The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks works close...

For over 20 years, Friends of Wisconsin State Parks (FWSP) has been dedicated to preserving, protecting, promoting, and enhancing Wisconsin's state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas

Working in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources and local Friends groups, FWSP has coordinated thousands of hours of volunteer efforts, raised funds for vital state park programs and causes, and provided a public voice for our state's outdoor treasures in the legislative process.

Each year more than 17 million people visit Wisconsin state parks. State financial support for parks has diminished and FWSP continues to work with local Friends groups to fill in the gaps, provide outdoor education and improve the state park experience for the millions of people who visit each year.

It is imperative to FWSP and the Wisconsin DNR that each organization continues to work in collaboration with the other in the service of their mutual constituencies. Both organizations are rooted in deep and trusting relationships with park users and Wisconsin citizens, positioning themselves to serve and mobilize individuals around the issues of protecting, preserving, promoting, and enhancing state parks.

To be effective, both organizations must share and combine resources, skills, and experiences that will enable them to engage with, and adapt to, the changing political and societal landscapes around them. FWSP Strategic Plan....