Andy Devereaux
"This project offers the most comprehensive approach to protecting land in the North Woods of Maine. Respecting the important Maine traditions of conservation, backcountry recreation, and sustainable forestry positions the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Woods Initiative for success. That’s why I have made a commitment to this Campaign."
Mike Barry "I’ve been active in the Boston Chapter for 13 years, leading mostly bike and XC ski trips. This later led to a term as chapter chair that despite the work, I couldn’t say no to as I figured it was my turn to 'pay back' for the great times with the AMC I’ve had.
As Chapter Chair, I was exposed a broader scope of the AMC. Right now a large part of that vision is the MWI; basically an effort to help conserve an area in Maine about equal to the size of the WMNF, 750,000 acres! Today, in the 21st century, this means a lot of high dollar fund raising, which many of us volunteers shy from. But imagine for a moment if our forbears hadn’t shared a similar vision 100 years ago when they lobbied for the Weeks Act and the WMNF? Without their efforts there may not be a WMNF today! I felt that now is my turn to contribute for the future, and luckily I am able to. Perhaps you will feel the same way as well."
Janet and Peter Roderick "As native Mainers, both of us grew up in families where spending lots of time in the woods and on lakes and ponds is a traditional part of having a good time. We learned to hunt and fish and enjoy being on the land from an early age. As a result of that early outdoor experience we always considered those opportunities to be our birthright – something that would always be there.
With the dynamic changes that have taken place regarding ownership of the Northern Woods here in Maine in recent years, those assumptions of lifelong access and opportunity are no longer valid.
The AMC is preserving and managing the MWI tract in a way that will ensure that both people from Maine and those from away will continue to enjoy access to and the opportunity for non motorized recreation and for the appreciation of the Northern Woods, as have generations of our predecessors, without concern for misuse or worse, destruction of its unique features.
When we learned of the Campaign for the Maine Woods, we both quickly agreed that we needed to do our very best to support the AMC’s goal of protecting a significant portion of the 100-Mile Wilderness area. We realized that this opportunity to secure the future of a sizeable portion of the Northern Maine Woods is our best chance to ensure that future generations will have the chance to learn first hand the special joy of being in the woods and on the waters of this special place."
Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz
Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz view Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness as a national treasure. The co-founders of Schwartz Communications, one of the nation's leading public relations agencies, Steve and Paula Mae have traveled the world, scaled renowned peaks, and enjoyed the White Mountains for decades. “There are some amazing places in this world, but the Maine Woods is inspirational to us,” Steve said recently. “Making sure that such a vast area of wilderness is preserved as conservation and ‘human-powered’ recreation land is very important to us and we are very pleased to be helping to make AMC’s vision for the Maine Woods a reality.”
Steve and Paula Mae also strongly believe in outdoor education and have supported AMC’s work to train leaders and educate outdoorspeople. In addition to being avid hikers, Steve is a climber and has served on AMC Board of Directors and is currently a member of the Board of Advisors.
The Wilson Family
Ellen and Dave Wilson have many reasons for wanting to support the AMC: innumerable hikes through the White Mountains on AMC trails and memorable stays in the huts, not to mention that they met on an AMC hike along the Presidential Range. Ellen told us that “as long-time members and supporters, we have greatly enjoyed the adventures and friendships that were made possible by AMC. But it was a magical President’s Society trip to the Maine Woods in 2005 with our daughter Susan that convinced us of how vital it is to protect and make accessible this wild and special place.”
“We know how outdoor experiences can truly change lives. We wanted to make sure that the Maine Woods would be forever protected for future generations and that there would be opportunities to explore via hiking and skiing trails.”
John Linderman
Acre Protector John Linderman of New Jersey recently told us, “I’m too old to wait for wilderness to return to clearcut areas. I need to preserve the wilderness we already have.”
