Founded in 1875, American Forests’ mission is to grow a healthier world with trees by working with communities on local efforts that restore and maintain forest ecosystems. They have a goal of 100 million trees planted by 2020. 80% of the world’s forests have been destroyed or degraded half in the last 30 years alone. With the grant, American Forests proposes to restore these damaged areas in California by planting 50,000 trees through the “California Wildfire ReLeaf program,” a large-scale initiative to plant trees in areas scorched by catastrophic wildfires. Dramatic wildfires in southern California in the fall of 2007 created tremendous need for reforestation. American Forests designated a fund specifically to restore California forests after an outpouring of requests from citizens there and others across the country. All tree plantings for this project would occur in spring of 2009. This is the optimal planting season for California given the weather conditions on the west coast.

Founded in 1959, Trout Unlimited’s mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. The Southeast Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited seek funding for their “Camp Creek Restoration Project” that will improve water quality, fishing opportunities, and public access on Camp Creek (located near Madison). This project will reduce soil loss during high water events, increase stream flows, improve fish habitat, and re-introduce native prairie plants to the surrounding riparian zones. The grant will cover materials and labor required to restore this spring creek. These improvements will benefit naturally reproducing brown trout, turtles, frogs, and aquatic insects. This project has increased public access through a partnership formed with landowners who sold easements to the Wisconsin DNR. Now, nearly 80% of the land adjacent to the stream is open to the public. Work is scheduled to begin in 2008, and completed 2009. Water monitoring will follow to document the results of this Project.

Founded in 1994, the mission of Friends of the Cheat (FOC) is to restore, preserve and promote the outstanding natural qualities of the Cheat River Watershed. FOC will use the grant to purchase and protect a key section of the Big Sandy Gorge in West Virginia to provide public access for paddlers, hikers, and anglers to one and three quarter miles of wild and scenic river. The Big Sandy Gorge is a class IV river with paradise cliffs, mountain laurels, hemlocks, and two fifteen foot waterfalls. FOC plans to purchase the riparian zone between Rockville and Wonder Falls, to permanently protect this area from future development. The Big Sandy is major tributary to the Cheat River; both are popular destinations for mid-Atlantic whitewater enthusiasts and is located two hours from Pittsburgh and three hours from the Baltimore-DC area. Their goal is to acquire the riparian zone the spring of 2009.

Founded in 1987, NatureCorps is the premier national network of volunteers dedicated to the preservation of America’s National Parks for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. With this grant, NatureCorps will recruit volunteers to participate in three, seven-day “Volun’tour’ Vacations” and for their four, one-day community events. In partnership with the National Park Service and US Forest Service, NatureCorps will bring together these volunteers to restore three montane meadows in Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks and Sierra National Wilderness. Volunteers will perform a variety of operations, including the removal of nonnative plant species, tarping, thatch reduction, planting native vegetation, and damming gullies. The grant would also fund materials including containers, soil, and tools to plant 14,000 meadow plants and grasses. The first and largest phase of all three meadows are to be completed by October 2009.

Founded in 1984, The Catamount Trail Association (CTA) is a non-profit, member-driven organization based in Burlington, VT that builds, manages, and conserves the 300-mile Catamount Trail, a public-access ski trail. CTA will use the grant to conserve the remaining 90 miles of unprotected Catamount Trail. The specific project includes improving outreach to landowners, collaborating with local communities and partner organizations, negotiating trail easements with interested landowners, and completing these important land transactions. This project would guarantee 300 miles of non-motorized winter public access from one end of Vermont to the other. The goal of this project is to protect affordable, accessible opportunities to recreate in the backcountry of Vermont’s winter landscape. They CTA believes this grant will allow it to significantly expand the amount of Trail that will be protected by the end of December 2009.