- According to the governor’s office, the latest awards also leverage over $14.1 million in additional federal, state, local, private, and in-kind funding to complete the projects for communities across Mississippi.
The Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund (MOSTF) Board of Trustees has awarded its fourth round of competitive grants since its inception in 2022.
Governor Tate Reeves made the announcement on Tuesday.
“There have now been 100 projects funded across the state benefiting Mississippi communities and supporting jobs. Since 2022, MOSTF has awarded over $50.2 million in legislative appropriations to projects that leveraged over $100.2 million in matching funds, for a total of over $150.5 million invested in wildlife and fisheries conservation and nature-based outdoor recreation across our great state,” Reeves said in a statement. “It is exciting to watch these investments improve communities around the state and enhance our state’s $8 billion outdoor recreation economy, which supports more than 79,000 jobs.”
According to the governor’s office, the latest awards add 20 additional projects, totaling more than $13.6 million for conservation and outdoor recreation projects statewide and leverage over $14.1 million in additional federal, state, local, private, and in-kind funding to complete these projects for communities located across Mississippi.
There were 60 project applications submitted from August 1 through September 19, 2025, from four state agencies, 25 municipalities, six county governments, and 20 conservation-based non-governmental organizations.
MOSTF Executive Director Ricky Flynt pointed out that the competitive proposals must meet the statutory goals of improving the state’s parks and outdoor recreation trails, municipal parks, improving access to public waters and lands, and to preserve, enhance, and restore native wildlife and fish resources and their critical habitats across Mississippi.
“Each eligible application is scored individually by each board member based upon a standardized criteria that follow the priorities outlined in the Outdoor Stewardship Act of 2022,” Flynt said.
The 20 projects announced in this round of funding are listed below:
- City of Columbus ($536,950) – Cretaceous Fossil Park, Walking Trail, Kayak and Canoe Launch
- Walter Anderson Museum of Art ($300,000) – Washington Avenue Public Access and Front Beach Connectivity Project
- The Nature Conservancy ($499,619) – Groundwater Conservation Through Irrigation Automation
- Archusa Lake Dam Repair ($2,000,000) – Pat Harrison Waterway District
- Montjoy Creek Trailhead ($500,000) – City of Diamondhead
- Creek Access Trail & Creekside Classroom & Archery Range ($195,000) – Camp Kamassa
- Walkiah Bluff Park Ecotourism and Redevelopment Project ($164,500) – Pearl River County Board of Supervisors
- Hannesson Restoration and Public Access Creation ($110,000) – The Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain
- Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge, Walker Tract Waterfowl Sanctuary Restoration and Enhancement Sanctuary ($945,084) – The Nature Conservancy
- Sportsman Lake Wharf and Floating Dock Project ($16,210) – Perry County Board of Supervisors
- Reconstruction of Foot Bridges, Boardwalk, and Implementation of an Accredited Arboretum ($126,547) – Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (SPAC)
- Brandon City Park Improvements ($621,563) – City of Brandon
- Practicing, Demonstrating, & Fostering Next-Generation Outdoor Stewardship: Clinton Community Nature Center’s Conservation & Education Initiative Stewardship ($341,610) – Clinton Community Nature Center
- Wetland Enhancement for Waterfowl Habitat at Muscadine Farms WMA ($300,000) – Ducks Unlimited
- Neshoba County Lake Spillway Repair and Improvements ($2,175,000) – Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
- Gordon’s Creek VFW Pathway ($312,825) – City of Hattiesburg
- Lick Creek Conservatory & Recreational Area, Phase 2 ($2,331,276) – City of Olive Branch
- Gluckstadt Community Park ($1,527,592) – City of Gluckstadt
- Mounds Park Improvement Project ($353,430) – The City of Batesville
- Museum Trail Downtown Greenway: Nature Trail in the City ($250,000) – The Jackson Heart Foundation
MOSTF plans to open its next grant application period on August 1, 2026, pending funding secured during the 2026 Legislative Session.
Frank Corder
