Shawnee State Forest. Photograph by John Howard.
The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System
Our Mission Statement
To preserve, restore, and reunite the greater Appalachian Forest through education, land acquisition and enduring stewardship – protecting the forest’s magnificent diversity, understanding human relationships with the forest, and fulfilling our yearning for connection.
Our Vision
To ignite a cultural transformation in the eastern United States in which its people claim the forest as their home, have a greater awareness of its natural history, and contribute to its protection.
Our Work
About the Arc
The non-profit Arc of Appalachia Preserve System was founded in 1995 as a grassroots organization. Though our dreams have expanded significantly through the years, we have not lost sight of our roots, retaining only a tiny full-time staff and working mostly through volunteers. Since our inception we have raised over ten million dollars. We currently steward fourteen preserve regions, accessible by three visitors centers, and teach nature literacy and stewardship ethics through the Appalachian Forest School.
The Arc works to accomplish forest preservation by buying forested land in key botanical "hotspots" and then slowly expanding those forests in size as funds for land procurement allow, allowing the woodlands to naturally age and diversify. In addition to forest preservation, the Arc also preserves important associated Eastern eco-systems such as wetlands and native prairies, as well as ancient earthworks and historical buildings present at these sites.
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