OUR MISSION

LSPA, founded in 1898, is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the environmental integrity of the Lake Sunapee region, especially its lakes and watersheds, through education, research, and collaborative action.

Watch here as our new Executive Director, Elizabeth Harper, talks about LSPA’s mission and the work we do in and around the Lake Sunapee Watershed.

The Lake is the one jewel that calls us all here.
— Col. W.S.B. Hopkins - LSPA's first President, 1898

Our Vision Statement

LSPA’s vision is that our lakes and surrounding watersheds remain vibrant and environmentally sustainable because our communities engage in sound stewardship.

LSPA’s Historic Values*

The special qualities of the Lake Sunapee region contain the seeds of its destruction.

Its beauty, its quiet vistas, its refreshing waters, and the recreational opportunities it offers are powerful magnets to many users. Human behavior can put the watershed environment at risk.

We are all its caretakers.

We are indebted to the peoples and generations before us. All who now live here, work here, and visit here are today’s stewards.

We are part of our environment; we are responsible for its quality, now and for the future.

Not every use of land or water is wise or sustainable. It is imperative that our personal actions and our community choices are informed by rigorous science.

Our love of this region calls us to action.

We owe it to future generations to care for this special place.

*Based in principles set forth by Col. W.S.B. Hopkins in 1898.