By: Daniel Tyson, Magnolia Tribune
(Photo from Governor Tate Reeves on Facebook)
Within three years, the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust has released more than $37 million in funding to preserve and enhance the state’s natural resources and the recreational opportunities they provide.
With an additional $87 million in matching funds from various sources, the Trust has green lighted more than 80 preservation projects across the state, aiding Mississippi in quickly becoming a sportsman paradise.
“We already have one of the most beautiful states in the country,” said Governor Tate Reeves (R) late last week during the Trust’s workshop at the Museum of Natural Science. “In short, there’s no place like Mississippi. We are blessed with a state with a wealth of natural beauty.”
Reeves continued by saying the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust has funded projects that attract both native Mississippians and tourists, which goes hand and hand with one of his top priorities: economic development.
The governor said he sometimes hears people say Mississippi is not what it used to be. “That’s fine,” he said.
“Some people want Mississippi to be the best-kept secret,” Reeves said. “But Mississippi can be both. We can have economic development, attracting entrepreneurs and young people, but it can also have a diverse landscape.”
Recently, Mississippi was recognized as one of the fastest-growing economies in the U.S., and its per capita income catapulted to the fourth fastest in the country, the governor said.
Reeves and the Trust’s Executive Director, Ricky Flynt, thanked the state Legislature for funding the program. What started as a blank piece of paper and became law in July 2022 has turned into one of the state’s biggest funders of outdoor projects.
Last Thursday, Governor Reeves signed a $12 million appropriation bill to deliver another round of funding.
The Trust’s funding has fluctuated since its inception. In 2022, it received $10 million, a year later $15 million, and in 2024, another $12 million, said Flynt.
The Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust has accepted applications from state agencies, Mississippi counties, cities and towns, and non-governmental organizations, according to its data. The application process has been competitive since 2022, and the Trust has received more than 230 requests for funds.
During the Trust’s workshop in Jackson on Wednesday, the organization highlighted four projects. The first being Mississippi Toughest Kids Foundation’s Camp Kamassa, a camp for adults and children with special needs. The foundation received $150,000 from the Trust and another $100,000 in a match to construct a lakeside fishing pier and docks for canoeing and kayaking.
The Trust also recognized the state’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Over three years, said Flynt, the department was awarded about $570,000 for 28 projects ranging from boat access to wildlife habitat projects to landowners’ assistant payment.
Another project discussed was a $1.531 million grant to the Nature Conservancy to assist in the construction of artificial fishing reefs in Bay St. Louis. The project received more than $3.8 million in matching grants, Flynt said. The project, a tourist attraction, is 40 acres of artificial reefs.
The final project highlighted was Flowood’s $160,000 grant for its nature park. It is a 1.7-mile, 6-foot-wide, low-impact walking trail.