The voice of private stewardship
in the Adirondack Park
Welcome!
The Adirondack Landowners Association has been the voice of private stewardship in the Adirondack Park since 1990. We are an established community of landowners who believe that private land, well cared for, is one of the Park's greatest assets — and that people who do stewardship deserve a strong, informed, and respected advocate.
Our Mission
The Adirondack Landowners Association exists to serve and strengthen the community of private landowners who call the Adirondack Park home.
Represent our members — We understand, advocate for, and defend the interests of non-commercial private landowners across the Park.
Inform and empower — We provide meaningful information on land stewardship, natural resource management, and the protection of private property legacies for future generations.
Stay ahead of change — We monitor regulatory and legislative developments at the State level and across the Adirondacks, ensuring our members are never caught off guard by changes that affect their land.
Our History
The ALA was founded in 1990 in direct response to a Governor's Commission Report that identified large areas of private Adirondack land for potential State acquisition by eminent domain. A small group of private landowners — strangers to one another at the time — reached out, connected, and joined forces to push back.
Led by Bill Hutchens and Frank Clark, that founding group successfully negotiated the inclusion of "willing buyer, willing seller" language in New York State's land acquisition policy — a landmark protection for private landowners that endures to this day.
From that beginning, the ALA grew into the recognized voice of private stewards across the Park: people dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and responsible enjoyment of their land.
Where We Stand Today
Our work continues to ensure that the NYS Open Space Plan and the State's land acquisition policies honor the principles our founders fought for. We maintain an active presence in Albany and across the Adirondacks, with a Senior Advisor who monitors regulatory activity at the DEC and APA, tracks relevant legislation, and keeps members informed and connected on issues that matter to them.
We also recognize that today's challenges extend well beyond land acquisition. Our forests and waters face pressures from many directions: air quality concerns, a changing environment, federal policy shifts, invasive species, and the declining availability of skilled forestry and land management labor. The Adirondack Landowners Association is engaged in all of these conversations — and we want you to be part of them too.
Our Senior Advisor & Counsel brings deep institutional knowledge and relationships to this work — maintaining active working relationships with all of the major Adirondack organizations and sitting on several committees focused on Adirondack issues. That presence ensures the Adirondack Landowners Association is not just informed, but genuinely influential in the conversations that shape policy and practice across the Park.
As a private landowner, staying informed, educated, and connected isn't just helpful — it's essential. The Adirondack Landowners Association gives you a seat at the table, access to the people and organizations shaping the future of the Park, and a community of peers who understand exactly what you're navigating.
Our meetings and member webinars — covering topics of current interest and concern — bring members together with guests from environmental, academic, and government organizations that share our commitment to the Park. These gatherings are as much about connection as they are about information. Because nothing works in isolation — the strength of the Adirondack Landowners Association comes from members who stay involved through engagement, communication, and a shared sense of responsibility.
“The Adirondack Landowners Association has proven to be a vital resource for information and consultation on many issues for the Brandreth Park Association. The ALA provided tremendous support for us on significant legal issue, helped us navigate alternatives for a communication system, and has continually included our opinions and concerns on matters of Adirondack stewardship. The monthly newsletters keep us informed and the membership events provide us the chance to connect with fellow landowners and Adirondack leaders.”