Dear Friends,
Summer in the Adirondacks brings reunions with old friends, like hearing a white-throated sparrow as we both return to mountain slopes after northward migrations. It’s also a season to pick a place on the map and find new wonders in this vast landscape. In recent months, I’ve made first visits to storied waters, paddling wild shorelines and contemplating the future of land conservation.
As the Adirondack Land Trust celebrates 40 years, I’m reminded that clean water, healthy forests, and wildlife habitat are easy to take for granted in the Adirondacks. That’s why it is so important for conservation work to continue, to adapt, to evolve.
Half a century ago, land conservation focused overwhelmingly on wild places. With time, how people relate to landscapes was factored into conservation planning, and land trusts emerged nationwide to ensure working farms and forests and community needs were part of the process. The conservation lens expanded further to consider ecological integrity at regional, national, and even global scales. And today, we recognize that access to nature is a human right.
Our understanding of conservation needs in the Adirondacks has expanded considerably. From land protection to wildlife monitoring to accessible trails and more, the stories in our 2024 Annual Report help illustrate the scope, scale, and trajectory of the Adirondack Land Trust’s work.
As a team, our staff of 14 brings 197 years of professional conservation experience to this work, further strengthened by the varied skills and experiences of our Board of Directors and Next Generation Council. We know that commitment and dedication are essential to effective conservation, and your support makes it possible for us to better serve the Adirondacks and everyone who loves this place with each passing year. Here’s to 40 years together, with forever to go.
Stephen Burrington, Board Chair
Photo by Eric Adsit