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Sept. 1, 2021. Maine Woods, Maine-- Photo by Jamie Malcolm Brown.

Conservation Funding

Protecting critical lands and waters throughout AMC's region.


AMC works to promote permanent conservation of important ecological, recreational, and scenic resources across our region. These critical areas help connect large landscapes, ensure trail connectivity, and provide open spaces in or near heavily populated areas. Robust federal and state funding is essential for the conservation of priority lands and waters to help ensure that everyone has easy access to the outdoors.

Protecting land and water helps to sustain our clean water supply, reduce pollution in the air we breathe, ensure access to high quality recreational opportunities, provide wildlife habitat, and strengthen our communities for the future.

Land and Water Conservation Fund

A visionary and bipartisan federal funding program for protecting our nation’s most special places. From Sterling Forest in the New York Highlands, to White Cap Mountain in Maine, to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, LWCF has funded the protection of some of our most iconic landscapes and trails in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic as well as numerous state and local parks across the nation.

30 X 30 Conservation Agenda

This bold national goal aims to conserve 30 percent of lands and waters in the United States by 2030 through administrative actions to ensure we can meet the challenge of climate change and provide space for wildlife and communities to thrive.

Highlands Conservation Act

The Highlands Conservation Act authorizes Congress to spend up to $10 million a year in federal matching funds for land preservation and protection in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands states (PA, NJ, NY, CT), as well to spend $1 million a year for U.S. Forest Service research and technical assistance programs.

Delaware River Basin Restoration Program (DRBRP)

This program provides federal funding for conservation and restoration projects throughout the four-state Delaware River Watershed. The Delaware River Basin Conservation Act provides funding for the DRBRP program which supports water quality improvement, habitat restoration, flood mitigation, public access and recreation, strategic planning to enhance resilience, as well as planning monitoring and research. Congress has appropriated up to $10 million each year to support the competitive matching grant and technical assistance program.

Land for Maine’s Future

The Land for Maine’s Future is the state’s primary funding vehicle for conserving land for its natural and recreational value. The program was established in 1987 when Maine citizens voted to fund $35 million to purchase lands of statewide importance. In 1997, new priorities were set forth by a commission of Maine citizens. Since that time the program has administered multiple bonds and even instances of general fund appropriations. Learn more about Land for Maine’s Future.

The New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP)

This program makes matching grants to New Hampshire communities and non-profits to conserve and preserve the state’s most important natural, cultural, and historic resources to ensure the perpetual contribution of these resources to its economy, environment, and quality of life. Since its inception in 2000, LCHIP has invested $50 million through 498 grants in 176 communities, protecting more than 294,000 acres and 286 historic structures. Since 2008, LCHIP grants have been supported by small fees charged on four types of documents that are recorded at the ten County Registry Offices across the state. These modest $25 fees generate about $3,500,000 per year.

Learn more about conservation funding

Breakneck Pond Harriman Outdoor Center Paula Champagne 713x446
The Mid-Atlantic Highlands and the Highlands Conservation Act: An Explainer

The Mid-Atlantic Highlands comprise a ribbon of green space stretching through northwestern Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—the geographical heart of AMC’s region. Not surprisingly, protecting such a...

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Great American Outdoors Act
Implementing the Great American Outdoors Act

The Great American Outdoors Act fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually in perpetuity and provides funding to address a $20 billion backlog of...

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Great American Outdoors Act Signed into Law, Fully Funding LWCF

  The Great American Outdoors Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation signed by President Trump on Tuesday, August 4, will provide as much as $1.9 billion annually to address the...

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Action Center

Rigorous science, focused advocacy, and a whole lot of hands-on work have defined AMC’s conservation mission from the beginning. But it’s your support that carries the day in community meeting houses, in Congress, and in untrammeled wilderness alike. Learn more about our conservation initiatives and how you can contribute through our Conservation Action Network.

Take Action

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The Appalachian Mountain Club is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 04-6001677) under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. AMC operates under several special permits and leases, including in the White Mountain National Forest, New York Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and New Hampshire State Parks.

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