Mission Statement:

The purpose of the ADKhighpeaks Foundation is to provide financial assistance to individuals or organizations whose activities provide a benefit to the New York State Forest Preserve and the people that use it. The Foundation has a particular interest in funding wilderness zone and environmental protection, safe recreation, public education and biological research.                                                                                                                                     

General Fund Donations

                                 

Wilderness zone and environmental protection

 ADKHighpeaks Foundation has been a proud sponsor of the ADK Summit Steward Program since 2011. It was in that year we were approached by the program to assist in funding a full time seasonal steward that would enable the Summit Stewrad Program to dedicate regular coverage on Cascade Mountain one of the busiest and most often first climbed of the "46" high peaks.

We have supported this initiative both financially in the form of a yearly grant of $5,460 and physically as several members including the president of the foundation also serve as volunteer stewards. We have committed to this program until 2018 and would like to continue beyond that if funding allows.

All donations made to this fund will be used to make additional grants within this category

Safe recreation & public education

Our very first grant as a not for profit organization was to the Keene Valley Fire Department Wilderness Rescue team. The grant was for $5,000 and was used to replace and purchase new equipment .

We feel that it is very important to support those who provide life saving service in the Forest Preserve. The foundation has also provided grants to similar organizations such as SARNAK the Search and Rescue of the Northern adirondacks to help upgrade their radio equipment and to provide public education on wilderness safety.

Other similar programs in this category that we have supported was the Adirondack Ski Touring Council to help fund a parking turnn out and easement purchase in the MacKenzie Wilderness for the Jack Rabbit Ski Trail.

All donations made to this fund will be used to make additional grants within this category

Below is the check presentation to the Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue for $5,300 all the funding came from Neil Luckhurst's "Project Full deck" in which he summitted 48 high peaks in 15 days.

Pictured Left to right Sylvie Cartier-Luckhurst, Neil Luckhurst, Topo (frog), David Gomlak (T-Max and topo's Hostel), Gretchen Stark (LASAR), Jack Coleman, John Sasso (LASAR), Peter Benoit (LASAR)

Biological research.

In 2011 we coordinated with another Northeast non profit to support a study of the effects of clamate change on alpine vegetation, specifically Prenanthes boottii also known as Bootts Rattlesnake Root. The goal of the project was to assess the effect climate change has on highly  imperilled plantlife. The study was conducted by Kristen Haynes of SUNY ESF and incorporated DNA sequencing and inventory of the plants in the high peaks in order to better understand the plants ability to cope with change through adaptation or natural relocation. Read a summary of the sudy here.

All donations made to this fund will be used to make additional grants within this category