White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. Photo by Madeline Carr.
As we step into our 150th year, the Appalachian Mountain Club is rooting into something that has guided us from the beginning: optimism.
The outdoors faced real challenges in 2025, yet our community showed up with courage and commitment. Together, nearly 90,000 members fueled major conservation wins, strengthened advocacy across the region, and opened doors for more people to enjoy outdoor spaces.
2025 may be winding down, but AMC’s community is just getting started. Here are 25 reasons we’re stepping into 2026 with confidence and hope:
Collective Action Moves Conservation Forward
Global Climate Strike in Boston. Photo by Paula Champagne.
1. The number of active advocates in AMC’s Conservation Action Network nearly tripled in size this year, sending almost 18,000 messages to decision makers and demonstrating that persistent advocacy drives meaningful change.
2. AMC advocates and people across the country spoke up and helped block a massive public lands sale, protecting up to 1.2 million acres and showing strong bipartisan support for conservation.
3. Our community sent more than 2,000 letters defending clean air protections, pushing back against efforts to weaken cornerstone Clean Air Act programs and revoke the endangerment finding.
4. AMC advocates stood firm against a proposed $100 million cut to the USDA Forest Legacy Program. The Senate Agriculture Committee rejected the cut, safeguarding critical resources for forests in New Hampshire and the Maine Woods.
5. Three times this year, AMC’s Conservation Action Network rallied to defend the Land and Water Conservation Fund, opposing restrictions that threatened the nation’s most powerful outdoor recreation and conservation tool and mobilizing support from bipartisan champions in Congress.
Join AMC’s Conservation Action Network
New Milestones for the Maine Woods Initiative
Barnard Forest. Photo by The Conservation Fund | © Jerry Monkman/EcoPhotography.
6. AMC celebrated the acquisition of the 29,000-acre Barnard Forest, expanding the Maine Woods Initiative to a total of nearly 130,000 acres and advancing habitat restoration, responsible forestry, and sustainable recreation.
7. At no cost and without restrictions, AMC is returning 1,700 acres of wetlands and forest to the Penobscot Nation. Before the return, AMC will also restore access by opening roads that have been closed off to both the public and the Tribe for two decades.
8. To date, AMC has completed 166 fish passage restoration projects in the 100-Mile Wilderness, reconnecting over 162 miles of streams to enhance habitats for brook trout and endangered Atlantic salmon.
Federal and State Funding Fueled by AMC Advocacy
All Persons Trail at AMC Cardigan Lodge. Photo by Corey David Photography.
9. A new $250,000 Maine Trails Program grant will help AMC improve a 3.5-mile section of the KI–Brownville Rail Trail in 2026, strengthening year-round recreation and stimulating the local economy. This project will connect to AMC’s ongoing work in Brownville, including a new trailhead parking area and future public boat launch on the Pleasant River.
10. Through Highlands Conservation Act funding, Pennsylvania is closing one of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ top ten statewide trail gaps. By completing the South Bethlehem Greenway, the state is expanding recreation opportunities for walking, cycling, rollerblading, and more.
11. AMC will complete two all persons trails in the White Mountain National Forest by 2027 thanks to over $440,000 in funding from the Northern Border Regional Commission. Located at the Highland Center and Pinkham’s Notch Visitor Center, these two ADA-compliant trails will welcome people of all ages and abilities to explore the outdoors safely and comfortably.
Science and Stewardship Building a Stronger Tomorrow
Stream restoration in the Maine Woods. Photo by Garrett English.
12. Our community science projects on iNaturalist continue to grow, capturing over 72,000 observations that help track species health, phenology shifts, and biodiversity trends across AMC’s region.
13. AMC joined the Smithsonian’s Snapshot USA program, giving our Research team new tools to monitor stream habitat restoration in real time. The data collected will help us understand how wildlife respond to these efforts and guide future stewardship across the region.
14. As a recipient of the William Penn Grant, AMC’s Trails team will lead two years of trainings to develop the skills of existing Friends Groups volunteers and offer a series of opportunities that engage new populations in the trail stewardship of Philadelphia Parks.
15. New research funding will empower AMC to study changing snowpack in partnership with the University of Maine-Farmington. This project will measure how shifting conditions affect recreation, ecosystems, and Maine communities.
16. AMC is launching plans to develop a research station in the Maine Woods, opening nearly 130,000 acres to deeper scientific study by our expert staff and partner agencies.
17. With five new all persons trail projects planned in Massachusetts, AMC’s Trails team is making sure everyone can enjoy getting outside. These additions will create new, accessible outdoor experiences throughout the Commonwealth.
AMC-Backed Policies Poised for Impact
AMC Medawisla Lodge and Cabins in the Maine Woods. Photo by Jamie Malcolm Brown.
18. New federal funding for national parks and public lands could become a reality in 2026 thanks to the America the Beautiful Act. If passed, this bipartisan legislation would build on the Great American Outdoors Act’s progress in addressing long-standing maintenance backlogs in public lands.
19. In Maine, the Act to Promote Responsible Outdoor Lighting is awaiting final authorization. If enacted, it will reduce light pollution to protect nighttime environments for wildlife and communities alike.
20. As a key member of the Nature for Massachusetts Coalition, AMC helped collect over 100,000 signatures to put the Protect Water and Nature Initiative on the 2026 statewide ballot. This initiative would dedicate $100 million annually from an existing state tax on sporting goods to protect clean water, create more parks and trails, and expand equitable access to nature.
21. For the first time in 17 years, New Hampshire is revising its Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. These updates will strengthen the state’s ability to cut emissions, build resilience, and preserve the places we live and love to explore.
Fostering the Next Generation of Environmentalists
AMC Mountain Classroom program. Photo by Paula Champagne.
22. Through nearly 6,000 youth education experiences, AMC helped Piscataquis and Coos youth learn about the outdoors in meaningful ways, including overnight lodge trips, classroom visits, trail days, summer camps, field trips, and community programs.
23. In April, the Highland Center will host Youth Workshop: Climate-Ready Jobs in the North Country to bring students together for hands-on introductions to careers that make a positive impact on people and the planet.
24. AMC’s Trails team introduced more than 170 students, from middle school through college, to hands-on trail stewardship. Through classroom sessions, career clinics, full-day programs, and week-long youth trail camps, participants gained practical skills and a deeper understanding of how trails are built and cared for.
25. More than 140 AMC school programs helped students from pre-K through 12th grade develop outdoor skills and scientific knowledge. Students learned about a range of topics, including climate science, forest and stream ecology, snow monitoring, animal tracking, habitat restoration, and outdoor recreation.
Looking Ahead Together
AMC Gorman Chairback Lodge and Cabins in the Maine Woods. Photo by Cait Bourgault.
As the oldest outdoor organization in the United States, AMC is in it for the long haul. We’ve seen 28 presidents come and go, weathered shifting environmental policies, and stayed grounded in our mission every step of the way.
This year has shown us that conservation continues to be a unifying issue—one that brings people together across different backgrounds and political perspectives. The outdoors will continue to face serious challenges in the coming year, but together, we can protect the places we all know and love for generations to come.
“As we enter our 150th year, the AMC community is stronger and louder than ever. We know real change comes from speaking up, and we won’t be backing down. AMC is optimistic about the future of conservation because we see it taking shape every day, from the meaningful wins of 2025 to the exciting plans in store for 2026. By putting our hope into action, we are getting closer to a world where nature is healthy, loved, and protected,” says Nicole Zussman, President and CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
At AMC, we’re here so that people like you connect to the outdoors today, tomorrow, and every day after. And next year we’re going to build even more momentum for conservation.