PAUL SMITHS, N.Y. – Paul Smith’s College has been recognized as a Highlighted Institution in the 2026 Sustainable Campus Index for its conservation easement partnership with the Adirondack Land Trust, which has protected 2,800 acres surrounding the College’s Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC).
A publication from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities overall and in 13 impact areas, as measured through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS®).
Paul Smith’s College was selected as a Highlighted Institution for its recently-finalized conservation easement with the Adirondack Land Trust, which limits development and other land uses to protect forests, waters, and natural areas. Paul Smith’s College continues to own the land and can continue to practice sustainable active forest management. The Adirondack Land Trust purchased the conservation easement from the College for $4.1 million in 2025 and now has a perpetual legal responsibility to ensure that the ecological objectives of the conservation easement are being met. This effort reflects the College’s ongoing work to embed sustainability into campus life.
“Protecting these 2,800 acres of forest and wetlands was an investment in our shared future — for our students, our community, and the Adirondack region. The Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center is both an extraordinary outdoor classroom and a living laboratory that will continue to inspire learning, recreation, and stewardship for generations to come, thanks to this easement,” said Paul Smith’s College President Dan Kelting.
“When Paul Smith’s College first expressed interest in working together to conserve 2,800 acres, we knew it was a special opportunity. The extent, condition, and variety of habitat types, proximity to other protected lands, and range of educational and recreational uses all add up to high conservation value. We offer our congratulations to the college for having the vision to conserve this special place and earning a listing in the Sustainable Campus Index,” said Adirondack Land Trust Executive Director Mike Carr.
“We are proud to recognize Paul Smith’s College as a Highlighted Institution in the 2026 Sustainable Campus Index,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Progress toward a more sustainable future is built through the creativity, persistence, and leadership of institutions willing to put new ideas into practice. By sharing the work happening at Paul Smith’s College and campuses across the Index, we hope to spark new ideas, strengthen collaboration, and advance sustainability throughout higher education.”
About Paul Smith’s College
At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. As the only four-year college located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith’s provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences and natural resources. We are able to draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive and adventurous individuals collectively provide experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at paulsmiths.edu.
About STARS
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS®) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was developed by AASHE with broad participation from the higher education community. The credits included in STARS span the breadth of higher education sustainability and are organized into four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration. All reports are publicly accessible on the STARS website. For more information, visit stars.aashe.org.
About AASHE
AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff, and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org. Follow AASHE on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X, formerly Twitter.
Media Contacts:
Sara Delacruz
PRforPaulSmiths@bospar.com
Monika Urbanski
Senior Manager of Resources, Data Quality & Publications
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
monika.urbanski@aashe.org
