Supporting natural resource education on Corps lands and waters
Supporting natural resource education on Corps lands and waters
Supporting natural resource education on Corps lands and waters
Supporting natural resource education on Corps lands and waters
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Supporting Recreation

The Foundation, with the help of members, contributors and partners, works to improve the variety and quality of facilities to meet the increasing demand for recreation.

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Promoting Water Safety

Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns

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Natural Resource Education

Enhancing visitor’s experience by raising their awareness of the water environment and its associated resources.

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Be An Advocate

Follow the Corps Foundations Advocacy Alerts and get our Advocacy Toolkit to learn how and when to contact your representatives when issues around water access, recreation, funding, and safety are being decided.

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OUR IMPACT

Americans love recreating on the water, and when they do – it’s most likely on a lake or waterway managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the largest provider of water-based recreation in the country! The Corps Foundation is the only nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to supporting our nation’s lakes, rivers and the lands surrounding them. The Corps Foundation works to connect contributors, businesses, communities and “Friends” organizations to benefit visitors and help ensure healthy lakes and waterways for current and future generations.

 

Watch and learn more about the Corps Foundation’s work. 

 

BREAKING NEWS

The LAKES Act

We Need Your Support! Corps Foundation Announces LAKES Act Legislation!

The Corps Foundation is thrilled to announce the proposed LAKES Act with bipartisan support! Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Lakes Access Keeping Economies Strong legislation that’s building support everyday.

This bipartisan bill would improve outdoor recreation facilities in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)-managed areas, provide new opportunities for public-private investments, and give local districts more flexibility to reinvest their resources.

Specifically, the LAKES Act will include authority for the US Army Corps of Engineers to retain up to 80% of recreation use fees to be reinvested directly to the Corps project where the fees were collected. This gives local managers the flexibility to repair infrastructure and complete maintenance with funds already paid by the visiting public. This long awaited authority will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to join other Federal land management agencies such as the National Park Service, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in retaining recreation fees.

LAKES Act

 

HOW WE ARE HELPING

Supporting Recreation

Did you know that USACE operates and manages over 430 recreation sites and 12 million acres of land and waters in 42 states?  Over 270 million visitors annually enjoy the recreation activities at these sites, and their tourism dollars support local, mostly rural, gateway communities.  Federal funding for boating and fishing facilities and management has declined in spite of increased public demand.   LEARN MORE…

Donations and memberships to the Corps Foundation provide financial support to improve programs and facilities that directly benefit the public.

Stewarding Public Lands

We partner with agencies, organizations and local community efforts to sustain operations, improve recreational facilities, preserve natural and cultural resources and enhance the visitor experience.  The Corps Foundation pursues a variety of fundraising, and grant opportunities to  help keep USACE public lands open to the public, support the outdoor recreation economy and  leverage public-private resources.

Education and Advocacy

Visitor safety is a #1 priority for USACE.  The Corps Foundation supports USACE and the efforts of their employees and volunteers to educate the visiting public in ways that promote safe and sustainable use of lands and waters managed by USACE. The Corps Foundation has secured over $1 million in funds to help promote the award-winning Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns campaign. Free campaign materials are available for at PleaseWearIt.com and by following Please Wear It on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Please wear your PFD

The Corps Foundation educates and supports the visiting public and volunteers to promote safe and sustainable use of Corps lands and waters. Visitor safety is the #1 goal when using lakes and waterways managed by USACE.  The Corps Foundation secured $1 million in funding for the award-winning “Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns” campaign for water safety. Read about our success at  PleaseWearIt.com.

The Corps Foundation advocates for increased funding to address operational needs, unfunded maintenance and infrastructure restoration. We advocate for policy changes to increase opportunities for partnering, and leverage public-private resources. We work to build a case for stakeholder support by communicating the limitations of Federal Funding and the importance of partnerships to help meet public demand.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK

Why Join

People join the Corps Foundation to help keep access available to their favorite lake or waterway.  Your financial support benefits the parks, and the volunteers who dedicate their service to maintaining water recreation for everyone.   JOIN US…

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The Corps Foundation uses 100% of your membership and donation funds to directly support education programs, stewardship projects and contribute toward partnership opportunities.  Americans are enjoying their public lands more than ever before. In fact, outdoor recreation now comprises over 2% of the American economy. Despite this demand, public lands agencies, including the US Army Corps of Engineers, continue to face reduced Federal funding that could impact your access to lands and waters of the US. 

Your financial support helps Corps projects and their friends groups connect, grow, and increase their capacity to fulfill the Corps’ natural resource education mission on lakes and waterways across America.

Advocate for America’s Waterways!

Advocacy Toolkit PDF
Advocacy Toolkit XLSX

See our latest advocacy efforts here.

Water Water Everywhere

Map of Corps park locations

Thanks to the Corps, there are countless parks at the many lakes and waterways. Click on the map to find your favorite.

THE LATEST FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

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3 months ago
Corps Foundation

Trinidad Interpretive Pollinator Garden

We are excited to announce the completion of the Trinidad Interpretive Pollinator Garden a partnership between the Corps Foundation and USACE at Trinidad Lake. The Pollinator Garden was made possible through a grant from the Bar NI Ranch Community Fund to the Corps Foundation. Other partners were Pueblo RecycleWorks, the Arkansas Valley Audubon Society, and numerous volunteers.

This project constructed an interpretive pollinator garden featuring a scaled replica of Fishers Peak in the center island in the parking lot of the USACE project office/visitor center. This living interpretive area serves as a focal point for thousands of visitors that stop on their way to the two state parks in the area, the Highway of Legends, and other outdoor recreational opportunities in the area.

The interpretive garden and sculpture of Fishers Peak is a showcase for the project office/visitor center with interpretive signs, flagstone walkways, irrigation system, and a variety of pollinator plants. This dynamic pollinator garden will afford countless interpretive opportunities for both locals and visitors. It embraces the unique geological features of the area, native plant species, pollinators, the history of the area, the purpose of the dam and USACE.

Trinidad Lake is a multipurpose project that protects the City of Trinidad from flood waters and sediment, and a source of irrigation water for the Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District. Colorado Parks & Wildlife operates Trinidad Lake State Park under an outgrant with USACE. Future plans are to revamp the inside of the Visitor Center to expand on the history and natural resources of the area, as well as the construction of the dam and the mission of USACE.

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#bee #bees #beesofinstagram #bumblebee #butterflies #flowers #garden #gardening #honeybees #insects #nature #organic #organicgardening #pollinatorfriendly #pollinatorgarden #pollinatorhabitat #pollinatorplants #pollinators #pollinatorswelcome #savethebees #seasonalflowers #summergarden #wildflowergarden #wildflowers #wildlife #🦋

Trinidad Lake State Park Trinidad Lake State Park - Colorado Parks and Wildlife Trinidad Lake - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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Trinidad Interpretive Pollinator Garden  

We are excited to announce the completion of the Trinidad Interpretive Pollinator Garden a partnership between the Corps Foundation and USACE at Trinidad Lake. The Pollinator Garden was made possible through a grant from the Bar NI Ranch Community Fund to the Corps Foundation. Other partners were Pueblo RecycleWorks, the Arkansas Valley Audubon Society, and numerous volunteers.  

This project constructed an interpretive pollinator garden featuring a scaled replica of Fishers Peak in the center island in the parking lot of the USACE project office/visitor center. This living interpretive area serves as a focal point for thousands of visitors that stop on their way to the two state parks in the area, the Highway of Legends, and other outdoor recreational opportunities in the area.

The interpretive garden and sculpture of Fishers Peak is a showcase for the project office/visitor center with interpretive signs, flagstone walkways, irrigation system, and a variety of pollinator plants. This dynamic pollinator garden will afford countless interpretive opportunities for both locals and visitors. It embraces the unique geological features of the area, native plant species, pollinators, the history of the area, the purpose of the dam and USACE.  

Trinidad Lake is a multipurpose project that protects the City of Trinidad from flood waters and sediment, and a source of irrigation water for the Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District. Colorado Parks & Wildlife operates Trinidad Lake State Park under an outgrant with USACE. Future plans are to revamp the inside of the Visitor Center to expand on the history and natural resources of the area, as well as the construction of the dam and the mission of USACE. 

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#bee #bees #beesofinstagram #bumblebee #butterflies #flowers #garden #gardening #honeybees #insects #nature #organic #organicgardening #pollinatorfriendly #pollinatorgarden #pollinatorhabitat #pollinatorplants #pollinators #pollinatorswelcome #savethebees #seasonalflowers #summergarden #wildflowergarden #wildflowers #wildlife #🦋 

Trinidad Lake State Park Trinidad Lake State Park - Colorado Parks and Wildlife Trinidad Lake - U.S. Army Corps of EngineersImage attachmentImage attachment

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Thank you #corpsfoundation and the Bar NI Ranch Community Foundation for supporting our pollinator garden project! ❤️ We do appreciate your support!!!!

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