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 and learning more about our annual 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.