The Adirondack Park in northern New York State is a model of people coexisting with wilderness. With a nearly equal division of public and private land, the Adirondacks have strong voices supporting both conservation and community interests. WCS involvement emerged in 1994 with the goal of bringing stakeholders together to advance the mutual interests of communities and conservation
The park faces increasing rates of residential development and recreational use while the loss of traditional industries threatens the economic viability of many communities and has exacerbated tensions between preservationists and local residents. Large-scale threats, such as acid rain and global climate change, could also severely alter the Adirondack ecosystem and local way of life.
The Adirondack Communities and Conservation Program (ACCP) works to promote both healthy communities and wildlife conservation in the Adirondacks through an information-based and cooperative approach to research, community involvement, and outreach. Our multi-faceted projects include: efforts to help communities better understand their relationship with the park through community exchanges, regional training events, and community information centers; the Atlas of the Adirondacks, a compilation of geographic information on a broad range of topics; publications to inform a variety of discussions; and wildlife research, primarily through the Adirondack Living Landscapes Program and the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program. Through its efforts, the ACCP strives to help people make informed decisions about conservation issues.