San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Awards $10K Grant to SGWA
Funding will support improvement of wilderness areas in San Bernardino National Forest
Nov. 1, 2024
HIGHLAND, CA – The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has awarded the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association a grant of $10,000 to support trail maintenance in the San Gorgonio and Cucamonga wilderness areas and interpretive activities in the San Bernardino National Forest.
The grant will enable SGWA to better maintain trails, update equipment for summer Ranger Talks, and provide educational materials to encourage sustainability of the forest environment, otherwise known as Leave No Trace. With this funding, SGWA hopes to introduce more visitors to the beauty and natural resources of the San Bernardino National Forest.
“SGWA is honored to have the support of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians,” said Val Silva, Executive Director of the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association. “We believe the forest is good for the spirit, and that being in nature is a calming respite from day-to-day stress. This grant will advance our educational programs and support trail maintenance projects, making outdoor experiences more enjoyable not only for seasoned forest hikers, but also for first-time visitors.”
SGWA maintains trails in and around the San Gorgonio Wilderness and the Cucamonga Wilderness for the U.S. Forest Service. Additionally, the organization provides volunteer foot and equestrian patrols for the wilderness area and staffs the Barton Flats Visitor Center, Mill Creek Visitor Center, and interpretive sites at Horse Meadows. During the summer months, SGWA hosts weekly nature talks at the Greyback Amphitheater in Barton Flats.
This grant is one of 228 recently announced by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. This year, the Tribe donated over $12.6 million in funding, with 50% going toward programs benefiting Native American communities, underscoring their dedication to preserving cultural heritage, strengthening tribal communities, and empowering tribal nations.
Since 2003, SMBMI has donated more than $400 million to causes that align with the Tribe’s giving pillars: Inspiring Our Future Through Education, Empowering Lives, Reinforcing Healthy and Resilient Communities, Preserving Cultural Traditions and Empowering Indian Country.
About the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association
SGWA is a 501(c)3 volunteer organization that began performing wilderness trail maintenance and trail patrols for the Forest Service in the early 1980s. More than 125 volunteers donated over 16,400 hours in the San Gorgonio and Cucamonga Wilderness areas, which the Forest Service calculates is equivalent to more than $521,000. Volunteers helped approximately 25,000 visitors appreciate and enjoy the forest, nearly 11,000 of them on wilderness trails.
About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally-recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit https://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov/
Media Contacts
Robin Alcantara, 909-838-3512, Robin.Alcantara@sanmanuel-nsn.gov
Val Silva, 760-900-9734, sgwa@earthlink.net
