Background
The Selway-Bitterroot Foundation (SBF) was formed as a non-profit in 2005 and serves as the primary partner of the Forest Service in effectively and holistically stewarding the 1.3-million acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and its surrounding wildlands. Why? Like many areas, the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness is a victim of declining federal dollars. Smaller budgets often mean less work accomplished on the ground, fewer wilderness rangers and trail crew, and reduced stewardship of wilderness.
Our Mission
The mission of the SBF is to connect citizens and communities to assist in the stewardship of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and surrounding wildlands. Our purpose is not to replace Forest Service programs but to build a Selway-Bitterroot constituency among communities, businesses, individuals, universities, tribes, the Forest Service and other groups in the stewardship of the natural and cultural resources across the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and surrounding wildlands.
Our Goals
In order to accomplish our mission, our broad goals are to:
- Promote stewardship of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and surrounding wildlands.
- Build citizen and community support for wilderness and wildland programs and projects.
- Create opportunities for volunteer participation in wilderness and wildland programs and projects.
- Foster awareness of wilderness and wildland values and promote understanding of wilderness and wildlands ethics, history and ecology.
- Mentor future leaders in the field of wilderness and wildland leadership.
- Form long-term relationships with individuals, communities, tribes, organizations, businesses, universities and other agencies to achieve these goals.
We are accomplishing these goals, and stewarding the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and surrounding wildlands, through a variety of projects and programs.
Where We Work
The geographic extent of our work inlcudes the following areas:
- The entire Bitterroot River watershed
- The entire Selway River watershed
- The Lochsa River watershed south of US Highway 12
Click here to view a map of where we work.
Who We Are
The SBF Staff
The SBF Board
Our Partners
Our fiscal sponsor is the Bitter Root Resource Conservation & Development Area, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.