Our History
The Association was the first citizen-based organization formed to protect the Adirondack region and its legacy of wildness for the enduring benefit of present and future generations. The wild forest landscape of the Adirondack Park that we all enjoy today owes much to the Association's citizen action dating to its founding in 1901.
Harnessing the Power of Citizen Action
At the time of its founding, a young Adirondack Park faced many threats. Illegal lumbering of the public Forest Preserve was widespread. Dams threatened to flood some of the Park's finest river valleys, including settlements within them. And State officials wanted to develop the Preserve with commercial buildings and with roads driven deep into the backcountry.
We met those threats through strong organization, expertise and leadership. The Association advocates high standards for all actions in the Park in order to protect the waters, forests, wildlife and biotic integrity on which the Park's ecological and economic future rests.
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