Educating by example, inspiring conservation leadership among our youth, and preserving Earth’s essential biodiversity and ecosystems compose the mission of the Nicodemus Wilderness Project and our youth environmental program, the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™. Our service-learning program provides scholarships for undergraduates and engages youth volunteers, including those who are at-risk or disadvantaged, in environmental stewardship projects, which include trash clean-ups, wildlife habitat and trail restoration, native tree planting, community recycling programs, and invasive plant removal. Discover how our work to restore the natural beauty and function of native ecosystems worldwide is making a difference to youth, wildlife, and our environment by viewing recent Apprentice Ecologist Projects.

"My name is Adrian, and I am a climate activist and organizer... I conducted this project because I care deeply about waste and believe that taking action for the environment wherever you are is an important way to make change... Since 2019, I've been the co-founder of New Haven Climate Movement's Youth Action Team, a team of high school and college-age activists that mobilizes the community to act on the climate emergency, and pushes for strong action and policy change on climate change in New Haven and the state of Connecticut. Since then, our team has grown into a group of around twenty active members... I also got involved on the school district level and started attending the New Haven Food Service Task Force meetings within the Board of Education starting in January to advocate for less plastic use in our school cafeterias and for food share/recovery opportunities to be implemented in our schools... I have gained valuable skills and connections from all of these projects, and it has empowered me to see myself as a young person in a leadership position. Despite a very different experience with organizing virtually this year with few public actions due to COVID-19, I still found ways to get my message heard. Being a youth climate activist and organizer has shown me the amazing things that can come out of putting your drive to good use. My commitment defined me as someone who can no longer hope for change without taking action."
-- Adrian -- Winner of the 2021 Apprentice Ecologist Awards

We are a 501(c)(3) publicly-supported nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is:

To protect wildlife and our environment and to build future conservation leaders by engaging youth in environmental stewardship projects worldwide.

Our vision:

We envision that all young people will take personal responsibility and action toward protecting wildlife and the environment in their communities through NWP projects, and that these inspired youth volunteers will become the next generation of conservation leaders worldwide.