BOSTON — The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) announced today the completion of its acquisition of the Barnard Forest in Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness, made possible by a $10 million gift from MathWorks, the leading developer of mathematical computing software. This donation, the second-largest philanthropic contribution in AMC's history, enabled the organization to finalize the purchase years ahead of schedule, securing nearly 29,000 acres of globally significant habitat and marking a major milestone in AMC's Maine Woods Initiative, which now totals 127,710 acres.
The gift from MathWorks allowed AMC to purchase the Barnard Forest from The Conservation Fund and The Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation, accelerating conservation outcomes in one of the most ecologically important landscapes in the eastern United States. “This gift from MathWorks is more than generous — it's catalytic,” said Nicole Zussman, President and CEO of AMC. “It enables us to safeguard an irreplaceable landscape, ensuring its health, access, and biodiversity are permanently protected. MathWorks has made a profound investment not just in land, but in climate resilience, community opportunity, and ecological continuity.”
The Barnard Forest, located in Piscataquis County, lies within the Pleasant River watershed, home to the last naturally reproducing population of landlocked salmon in Maine. The forest includes more than 70 miles of stream corridors, critical spawning grounds for endangered sea-run Atlantic salmon, extensive spruce-fir flats, and associated wetlands that provide cold-water habitat for native brook trout and landlocked smelt. The land protects an uninterrupted, undeveloped forest from the Appalachian Trail highlands to the main stem of the Pleasant River, a total continuous conserved land of over 750,000 acres, nearly the size of the White Mountain National Forest.
This conservation milestone was made possible through AMC's strategic partnership with The Conservation Fund. In 2023, The Conservation Fund and The Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation jointly acquired the southern portion of the Barnard property, giving AMC time to raise funds for its permanent protection. “This is precisely the type of meaningful, high-impact work The Conservation Fund was created to tackle,” said Tom Duffus, the Fund's vice president and northeast representative. “Through swift and strategic action, we collaborated to successfully protect this vital place to create lasting benefits for the great state of Maine, local residents, and this region's many visitors.”
Under AMC's stewardship, the Barnard Forest will support restoration forestry, habitat connectivity, and climate adaptation. The property will be managed to Forest Stewardship Council standards, with plans to rebuild older forest conditions and expand carbon stocking. The forest also contributes to rural economic growth by helping support more than 50 forestry- and recreation-related jobs and reinforcing AMC's $8.39 million annual economic impact in the region. The property will remain on the tax rolls of Piscataquis County. “Barnard represents a true convergence of conservation opportunity, ecological importance, and public benefit,” added Steve Tatko, Vice President of Land and Conservation for AMC. “This land was closed to the public for nearly 20 years. Thanks to MathWorks, The Conservation Fund, and countless donors and partners, it will now remain open to future generations.”
Initial funding for the project came from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the EJK Foundation, and other lead individuals. AMC's three-year campaign raised nearly $24 million to support the acquisition, perpetual stewardship, and capital necessary to re-establish public access. MathWorks completed the purchase with a transformative $10 million donation, part of its commitment to sustainability and science-based climate solutions. “At MathWorks, we believe in solutions that scale, endure, and benefit both people and the planet,” said MathWorks SVP and CFO Jeanne O'Keefe. “Supporting the permanent protection of Barnard Forest reflects this commitment.”
The Barnard Forest acquisition is part of AMC's Maine Woods Initiative, the largest multi-use conservation and recreation project in the eastern United States. With this addition, the initiative now encompasses nearly 130,000 contiguous acres — an area nearly three times the size of Acadia National Park. To learn more about the Maine Woods Initiative, visit outdoors.org/MaineWoodsInitiative.
