Timucuan Parks Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service’s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and Ft. Caroline National Memorial has been named a recipient of the 2018 Challenge Cost Share Program. The program was created by the National Park Service and Outdoor Foundation and this year the focus is to support projects that strengthen the NPS National Trails System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers System as part of the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act.

TPF’s environmental stewardship projects are one of 20 from around the country that were chosen from 97 applicants to receive the funding. TPF and the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and Ft. Caroline National Memorial will receive $24,000 to support projects which are designed to challenge and engage four unique young audiences and connect them with local parks and preserves. The funding matches direct and in-kind contributions from TPF to the projects.

The Challenge grant will be used to support four projects designed to introduce the Timucuan Preserve’s extensive network of trails to a young audience. The projects include a service learning program for University of North Florida students who will complete land and water trail projects; trail works days for Special Olympics youth, their coaches and families; culturally significant service learning trail projects for urban core youth; and monthly trail projects for a local high school environmental club. TPF designed each of the programs to complete necessary trail projects while also bringing diverse sectors of the community into the Preserve.

The National Park Service and the Outdoor Foundation awarded $361,000 this year to the 20 recipients. All of the projects awarded promote urban outreach, youth engagement and connecting people to the outdoors. The initiative requires a 1:1 match by the local recipient for greater financial leverage and impact.