Core Beliefs

The Directors and Members of the Upper St. John Valley Organization believe that:

Sustaining our natural resources is essential to improving and sustaining the economic health and stability of the Upper St. John Valley.
Sustainable development should include research, management, monitoring,, conservation & restoration, recreation, education, cultural, and business development activities.
Local sustainable business development will help maintain local ownership of our natural resources (forests, farm land, wind, water, etc.) which in turn will provide local sources of energy (such as fuel wood, wind power), food (agriculture), wood products, wildlife, recreational & educational opportunities, and other values.
The basis for sustainable development is to stay within the capacities of our natural resources to produce on an even-flow sustainable basis on a township or sub-watershed scale.
Conservation and/or restoration activities should be implemented to sustain endangered, threatened, and rare natural resources.
Sustainable management of natural resources requires commitment and consistency spanning decades and the life spans of individuals and businesses.
Knowledge and appreciation of our natural resources is essential to attain the commitment required for sustainable management.
The sub-watersheds of the Upper St. John River provide a natural framework of appropriate scale for sustainable management.
Forests in the Upper St. John River watershed should be managed to maintain all naturally occurring forest vegetation types in a balance of all development stages to sustain native wildlife at the township or sub-watershed scale at even-flow levels.
Our forests, water, and other natural resources can provide expanded recreational, educational values, and business values, and coupled with local agriculture, history & culture, cuisine, art, and music, can create a unique and strong brand identity for the Upper St. John River area to improve economic health and stability.

Vision & Mission • Who We Are