New FWSP

2021 FWSP Online Store - Buy Stickers here!

Admin / November 27, 2020

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 Gift Packages:

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

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.
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.
Each year, FWSP sponsors Work*Play*Earth Day events across the park system that draw hundreds of volunteers who remove invasive species, clean up campgrounds, plant trees, build benches and help with other essential projects.
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.
We would happily accept donations in the form of appreciated stocks

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is pleased to offer the following options to make a contribution:

Option 1:
Mail cash or check directly to Friends of Wisconsin State Parks

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks kindly requests that donations are sent to the following address. Send to:
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks
P.O. Box 2271
Madison, WI 53701

Option2:
Print a Form, complete it, and mail along with a check.
Click on this (Link) to download and print a PDF.

Option 3:
I would like to make a donation for projects that will enhance the Wisconsin state park and trail experience for visitors and campers to enjoy, like, campground fire rings, playgrounds, and building improvements)
A one-time donation using Your Credit Card via Paypal

Option 4: Automatic Monthly Donation for one year.

Option 5: Appreciated Stocks

Email or call

Patricia Loosen
Executive Director FWSP

Patricia.Loosen@fwsp.org

608-294-0810

Mail Inquiry to:
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks
P.O. Box 2271
Madison, WI 53701

Friends of Wisconsin State Parks(FWSP) fundraising campaign will seek to increase the support that FWSP can provide in order to preserve, promote, protect and enhance Wisconsin’s beautiful state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.
Friends of Wisconsin State Parks have been providing project grants to local park property Friends groups for 10 years, in order to provide a better experience for state park and trail visitors around the state.
FWSP is a nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization and we have set out to broaden what we do and increase our impact around the state.
The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks fund educational programs throughout the park season, provide funding for workshops, the planting of trees and flowers at parks and trails, and projects that will enhance the Wisconsin state park and trail experience for visitors and campers to enjoy: campground fire rings, playgrounds, and building improvements. FWSP is looking forward to expanding programs that bring children to state parks and trails to learn and experience nature.
The organization’s mission and values have defined FWSP for two decades, and the tax-deductible donations of the public and state park visitors and supporters of this fundraising effort will help ensure that FWSP will continue to meet its challenges and commitments in order to keep state parks vibrant and to allow for park and trail users enjoyment. The FWSP fundraising campaign will sustain our commitment to outdoor education and nature program excellence and will advance our position as a steward of funds to enhance, educate, and promote the beautiful Wisconsin state park properties. This campaign is about supporting the Wisconsin state parks that we love and for the people who come to the Wisconsin state parks, the experiences that they have here, and the memories that they leave with.

FWSP Fundraising Campaign

by Admin on November 25, 2020

FWSP depends on the generosity of donors for the funds required to carry out its mission of preserving, protecting, promoting, and enhan...

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...

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks mission is:
Preserving, Promoting, Protecting, and Enhancing Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas. (Click to view video)

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 area that they are associated with. 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, t...

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:

Read our Strategic Plan

The Friends of FWSP

by Admin on November 25, 2020

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

"Everyone needs a friend..."
The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is transitioning WI-GO Camping to Wisconsin Friends Explore. During March of 2020, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks premiered WI Go Camping. Beth Goeppinger was the park naturalist for Bong Recreation Area and the driving force for WI GO Camping. Beth contacted members of the FWSP Board and the Outreach Committee. Together, through many online meetings, WI GO Camping came about.

The mission of Wisconsin Friends Explore is to present the natural wonders of Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and natural areas through short videos mostly created by Wisconsin Master Naturalists and guest presenters.

Jonathan Ringdahl, a member of the FWSP outreach committee, is the emcee for Wisconsin Friends Explore. The show is written, planned, and directed by a planning committee representing the FWSP and Wisconsin master naturalists.

"During the challenges of 2020 and 2021, everyone needs a friend", Ringdahl says with a smile. "This is one way our friends can share their passion for our Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails, and recreational areas."

"During the first year, the programs we presented continued to grow our viewers. We still have a few more programs to go before the end of the season." Randy Paske, outreach committee chair, says. "We constantly strive to reach our audience in new ways." (More...)

Wisconsin Friends Explore

by Admin on February 15, 2020

"Everyone needs a friend..." The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks is transitioning WI-GO Camping to Wisconsin Friends Explore. D...

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/