Mission/Vision/Strategic Plan

Our Mission

The Waterman Fund fosters the spirit of wildness and strengthens the stewardship and understanding of the alpine areas of Northeastern North America to conserve their ecological, cultural, and recreational values. We pursue this mission through education, trail rehabilitation, and research.

Our Vision

Alpine areas retain their ecological integrity. Every visitor stewards the land and experiences its wonder. Least intrusive management practices prevail and human impacts are minimized. The spirit of wildness pervades the mountains.

Looking Ahead

Read our 5-Year Strategic Plan:

The Waterman Fund is the only organization in the Northeast (and likely the United States) with a mission that combines the spirit of wildness and alpine stewardship.

“What else is wildness? Certain attributes come to mind: remoteness, inaccessibility, uncertainty, mystery. A wild place can be a difficult place, uncomfortable for humans. And we should seek to keep it that way, not try to make it safer, more comfortable, more like the civilization we leave behind.”
Guy and Laura Waterman, Wilderness Ethics, 1993

“The contributions that Guy and Laura have made to resource management and protection over the years have resulted in trail stabilization, plant protection, and the finest examples of Alpine Stewardship. Theirs have been a dedicated and noble effort, and I congratulate Laura and her associates on their efforts to establish the Guy Waterman Alpine Stewardship Fund.”

Irvin C. Caverly, Jr., Director, Baxter State Park