Always Have a Little Help From Your Friends:

There is always a moment, or perhaps different moments, that we come to know and remember well when exploring Wisconsin’s landscape.

It might come while soaking in the panoramic view from the west bluff at Devil’s Lake State Park, where the wind carries a range of natural scents, with echoes of conversations and laughter from other visitors afar. Or along a quiet stretch of the bluff side at Wyalusing State Park, where you are enchanted by the Wisconsin River meeting the Mississippi River. Maybe it’s taking a bike ride along an Ahnapee State Trail, feeling the history beneath you of a trail that was once a prospering railroad bed, now motivates people to use it differently.

These are the moments we return for. The ones that don’t ask much of us—just that we show up and enjoy.

But behind these quiet experiences is something hidden in plain sight. A network of people, often working quietly with reverence and humility, helping ensure these places remain welcoming, cared for, and alive with opportunity.

For 30 years, that network has been growing across Wisconsin. It’s called the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.

A Legacy Rooted in Stewardship

In 1996, the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks (FWSP) was founded with a simple but powerful idea: The belief that each generation bears the responsibility for leaving behind a better, stronger legacy of conservation for our public lands. This non-profit organization was established to promote the idea that all should preserve, protect, promote, and enhance Wisconsin’s state parks, forests, trails, and recreation areas.

At the time, individual Friends groups were already forming around specific parks and properties—volunteer-led nonprofits dedicated to helping their local state park, forest, or trail. What was missing was a unifying organization to support, connect, and amplify their efforts, and to build relationships with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff.

The FWSP became that bridge.

Today, the organization supports more than 65 Friends groups across Wisconsin’s 118 state park system properties—places that collectively welcome nearly 20 million visitors on average each year.

That’s a staggering number. But the impact of Friends groups isn’t measured solely by visitation.

It’s measured in trail miles maintained, interpretive programs delivered, and invasive species removed. They also establish accessible features so more people can experience these spaces without restriction. In the quiet, consistent work that makes a place feel cared for. Work that represents more than 250,000 volunteer hours annually.

The Work You Don’t Always See

If you’ve attended a naturalist-led hike, paused to read an interpretive sign, or followed a well-maintained trail through a sensitive habitat, chances are a Friends group played a role in making that possible.

Through FWSP’s annual Incentive Grant Program, funds are distributed to local Friends groups to support projects that enhance the visitor experience and protect natural resources. These grants help fund everything from educational programming and trail improvements to accessibility upgrades and habitat restoration. This year alone, FWSP supplied over 36 Friends groups in grant monies totaling over $108,000.

In 2025 alone, Friends-supported naturalist programs reached over 220,000 participants across Wisconsin. That’s 220,000 moments of connection—between people and place, curiosity and understanding, recreation and responsibility.

But beyond the numbers, the work is deeply personal.

It’s the volunteer who spends their Saturday clearing storm debris from a trail. The Friends group member who organizes a candlelit winter hike. The donor who quietly contributes so a child can experience their first guided nature program.

Why Friends Matter

The Wisconsin State Park System is one of the most beloved in the country—and one of the most visited. But with that popularity comes pressure.

Across the system, aging infrastructure, limited funding, and increased visitation have created a growing gap between what our parks need and what traditional funding sources can provide. Deferred maintenance projects alone are estimated to exceed $1.4 billion.

At the same time, expectations for what parks can offer continue to expand—more inclusive access, more educational opportunities, more well-maintained trails, and ultimately more staff to support these efforts—but are extremely limited. This is where Friends groups—and the support structure behind them—become essential.

The 65 Friends groups work in tandem with property managers and park staff so they can respond quickly to on-the-ground needs, mobilize volunteers, and bring in additional resources that would otherwise be out of reach. They don’t replace state funding—they extend it, strengthen it, and ensure it reaches further. In many ways, Friends groups are the connective tissue between public lands and the people who care about them most.

Statewide (and Local) Impact

One of the most unique aspects of the Friends model is its balance between statewide coordination and local identity. Each Friends group reflects the character of its place.

Devil’s Lake State Park is the most visited state park, which means that the Friends of Devil’s Lake State Parks strategizes funding and work opportunities to help care for the property while also orchestrating fun events to attract guests and raise donations. At a quieter property like Merrick State Park, situated along the Mississippi River, it might mean ensuring trails remain open and accessible, or hosting small community events, such as their annual haunted hike, that bring people together around a shared landscape in the Driftless.

The FWSP supports these groups and their efforts not by directing them, but by empowering them. That includes providing funding and resources—but also fostering a sense of shared purpose across the state.

Because while each park is unique, the values that guide their care are remarkably consistent: stewardship, access, education, and community.

If you haven’t caught on yet, it’s obvious that our parks, trails, forests, and recreation areas are a key part of Wisconsin’s identity. They support tourism, community growth, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Yet here they are drastically underfunded. The FWSP becomes another vital part of this by educating and advocating with state legislators on these key issues. Frequent visits to meet with district senators and assembly representatives to share stories, economic data, and deferred maintenance issues are critical. The threat of cutting programs such as Knowles Nelson Stewardship became a priority, testifying before assembly and senate committees.

Looking Ahead: The Next 30 Years

The current funding status for the Wisconsin State Park System may seem bleak, but the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks feels that we are at a pivot point, a moment in time when the importance of these public spaces is recognized. These are critical resources to economic well-being for communities and the state as a whole. These locations can also be argued to provide the most affordable health care to anyone and everyone: The simple purchase of an annual park and/or trail pass gets you unlimited access and bolsters one’s mental and physical health.

Yes, questions arise right now as we look ahead: What will Wisconsin’s state parks look like in another 30 years? How will we balance increasing visitation with ecological preservation? How will we ensure access for people of all abilities and backgrounds? How will we continue to foster a sense of connection in a world that often pulls us away from it? We know that the FWSP will be there to answer the call. Working in tandem with key partners to find stronger, more sustainable funding mechanisms can drive change. FWSP’s role in that future will continue to evolve, but its core mission remains the same: to support the people who support Wisconsin’s parks, the communities that thrive on them, and to ensure the future looks bright and adventurous.

Seth Taft