The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation (BMWF) is one of the oldest and most effective wilderness stewardship nonprofit organizations in the country. Started in 1996 out of grass-roots concern of the need for trail maintenance and the loss of the trail system due to inadequate USFS budgets within the 1.5 million acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (includes the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Great Bear Wilderness areas). It has evolved into a mainly privately funded partnership organization that works on much needed trail maintenance, restoration of campsites and impacted area's, noxious weed control and mapping, and maintenance of historic structures. And all of this is done with volunteers from across Montana and the country!
The BMWF is very effective in working directly with the US Forest Service in determining the greatest need and most appropriate use of volunteers on stewardship projects. The BMWF has experienced wilderness crew leaders that train, supervise and work directly with volunteer crews on each project. BMWF volunteer work trips are highlighted with pack support to work sites, included meals, and natural history education from crew leaders. Certainly, as many a BMWF volunteer will tell you, volunteers get as much out of the experience as does the wilderness resource.
The BMWF is a prime example and national model as to how successful a small organization can be on affecting the stewardship and achieving the management goals of a wilderness area. Much of this success is due to its strong partnerships and commitment from a dedicated staff, board of directors and innumerable volunteers.
This is certainly a small organization that can and has proven itself. Whether or not you've ever set foot in the incomparable Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, you couldn't do better than to donate to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation.
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- EIN 31-1597921
- (406) 387-3847
- Po Box 190688 Hungry Horse MT 59919-0688 USA
- www.bmwf.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Environment, Parks & Playgrounds
Mission: The bob marshall wilderness foundation (bmwf) has been serving the wilderness recreation community for over twenty (20) years by organizing and leading projects that clear trails and preserve the wilderness ecosystem by restoring damaged areas and removing invasive species. Bmwf works to ensure that all americans have access to montanas bob marshall wilderness complex, the crown jewel of the wilderness system and one of the worlds most spectacular places. Each year 300 to 350 bmwf volunteers, ages 12 to 80, participate in 40 to 50 wilderness projects. Projects are accomplished in coordination and cooperation with the u. S. Forest service on trails and land within the bob marshall wilderness complex. Many bmwf projects introduce youth to the wilderness, and for some, it is a life changing experience. Since its incorporation in 1997, the bob marshall wilderness foundation (bmwf) and its volunteers have cleared over 5,000 miles of trail and treated 100s of acres of invasive species. The va
Programs: Stewardship - the stewardship programs that bmwf coordinates are invaluable to the wilderness recreational community including hunters, anglers, hikers, backpackers, horsemen, and packers. Each year bmwf engages an average of 350 volunteers, ages 12 to 80, in conservation projects. Projects invoke a sense of pride for montanas most treasured landscape. Both youth and adult volunteers have life changing experiences. In 2017, 336 bmwf volunteers worked a total of 14,492 hours on 46 projects, clearing 3,061 downed trees, maintaining 180 miles of trail, and conducting 17 acres of weed suppression. The total value of labor donated to public lands by bmwf volunteers in 2017 was $440,128.
internships - in 2017, bmwf provided 2 college and high school age youth with wilderness conservation internships where they worked shoulder to shoulder with forest service wilderness rangers.
packer apprentice program - in 2017, the packer apprentice programs, provided 2 youth with 40 hours of training and 6 packing experiences with pack livestock. This dying wilderness skill will be kept alive by this next generation of horsemen and women.