News Release

Saguaro National Park Team Receives National Wilderness Stewardship Awards

Nextgens working on trail signs

NPS

News Release Date: August 20, 2025

Contact: Beth Hudick, 520-733-5139

TUCSON, Ariz. – Saguaro National Park and its philanthropic partner organization, Friends of Saguaro National Park, were honored by the National Park Service (NPS) with 2025 Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Awards.
 
The Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Awards are the agency's annual recognition of outstanding contributions to wilderness stewardship by an individual, team, and external partner. Award recipients are nominated by fellow NPS staff and selected by an interdisciplinary panel.
 
This year’s national Team Award was given to the Saguaro National Park Trails Program for their work in maintaining and improving trails in the park’s high elevation wilderness. Mule teams supported wilderness operations by transporting materials and supplies, and crew members cleared more than 100 downed trees from wilderness trails. Using traditional techniques such as dry-stone masonry and crosscut saws, the trails program constructed and repaired trail structures along 30 miles of high-elevation trails.
 
Friends of Saguaro National Park received the national External Partner Award for their support in funding projects such as wildlife and plant surveys, trail work, education and outreach, and youth internship programs. High-elevation surveys in the remote Rincon Mountains provided critical data on key species, including the threatened Mexican Spotted Owl, quaking aspen, and American black bear. The funding and collaboration provided by FOSNP supports holistic wilderness stewardship for the park and helps ensure the Saguaro Wilderness will be protected for future generations.

Trail crew seen working on the Cactus Forest trail. Installing new steps and water bars for increased safety.

NPS