$10M MathWorks gift powers Appalachian Mountain Club’s permanent protection of Barnard Forest

The Appalachian Mountain Club, the nation’s oldest outdoor recreation and conservation organization, announced that it has completed the acquisition  of the Barnard Forest in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness thanks to a transformative $10 million gift from MathWorks, the leading developer of mathematical computing software. This acquisition secures nearly 29,000 acres of globally significant habitat and marks a major milestone in the Appalachian Mountain Club’s landmark Maine Woods Initiative which now totals 127,710 acres.

The gift from MathWorks, the second-largest philanthropic contribution in AMC’s history,  enabled the organization to finalize its purchase of the Barnard Forest from The Conservation  Fund and The Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation years ahead of schedule,  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. I’m grateful they shared our vision and accelerated our ability to protect this  landscape two years faster than we’d even hoped.” 

The Barnard Forest, a nearly 29,000-acre working forest 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 the time needed to raise funds for its permanent protection. The Conservation Fund’s share was  purchased through its Working Forest Fund, with support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Today’s announcement brings together the shared vision of multiple partners  focused on conservation to permanently protect the property well ahead of schedule.  

“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 based in Freeport. “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 the Appalachian Mountain Club’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, which is an integral part of the organization’s broader climate strategy. The forest also contributes to rural economic growth by helping support more than 50 forestry- and recreation related jobs and reinforcing the 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 the  Appalachian Mountain Club. “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 for fishing, hunting, recreation and cultural use, including tribal  access. AMC is proud to live its values in a forest like this in service of ecology and people, for  the benefit of both.”  

Initial funding for this project came from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the EJK  Foundation and other lead individuals and foundations. AMC’s three-year campaign to protect  and reopen Barnard Forest resulted in nearly $24 million in gifts, grants and program-related  investments to support the acquisition, perpetual stewardship, and capital necessary to reestablish public access to Barnard Forest. MathWorks completed the purchase of the Barnard Forest 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. We’re proud to help accelerate the Appalachian Mountain Club’s work in the Maine Woods and protect this extraordinary landscape for future  generations.”  

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.  

Since its founding in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club has led major conservation  milestones, including advocacy for the creation of the White Mountain National Forest. Under  Zussman’s leadership, the organization is building a bold new legacy, one rooted in  science, scaled through partnership, and focused on lasting impact for the land and the people  who depend on it.  

To learn more about the Maine Woods Initiative or to support the Appalachian Mountain Club’s  conservation work, visit outdoors.org/MaineWoodsInitiative 

The mission of the Appalachian Mountain Club is to foster the protection, enjoyment, and  understanding of the outdoors. AMC is a community of more than 90,000 adventurers,  advocates, and nature nerds whose passion for the outdoors knows no bounds. From Maine to  Virginia, we connect people with nature — and with each other. Learn more at outdoors.org. 

The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us. We are in the business of  conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for  climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective  strategies, efficient financing approaches, and enduring government, community and private  partnerships to protect millions of acres of America’s natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms. To learn more, visit www.conservationfund.org.

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the  language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development,  data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment  for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these products to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation and development in automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial automation and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are fundamental teaching and research tools in the world’s top universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 6,500 people in 34 offices around the world with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.