Clarence Petty Internship Program

Clarence Petty Internship Program: Empowering the Next Generation of Environmental and Advocacy Leaders

The Adirondack Council offers an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in environmental non-profit and government agency careers. The Clarence Petty Internship Program, named for iconic wilderness advocate Clarence Petty, provides hands-on experience working with professionals at a nationally recognized conservation organization.

Internship Opportunities with the Adirondack Council 

Albany Internships: In Albany, Adirondack Council interns participate in program and policy discussions, strategic planning and direct communications with government officials. As part of the government relations and communications teams, interns gain firsthand experience in policy advocacy and environmental communication. 

Adirondack Internships: Conservation and Communications interns have the opportunity to work closely with program leads on fieldwork, policy research, and public education campaigns. It is a unique opportunity to live and work in the Adirondack Park.

Future Careers in Conservation and Advocacy

Clarence Petty Internship Program alumni have become full-time members of the Council's program team. Others have continued with graduate study in public policy and pursued environmental law degrees. 

Apply for Internship Opportunities Today

If you are passionate about protecting clean water, clean air and wild places, apply to join a team dedicated to preserving the Adirondack Park and cultivating the next generation of environmental leaders.

About Clarence Petty: A Legacy of Environmental Leadership

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A native of the Adirondacks, Clarence Petty conducted backwoods field research for the state that established the need for the Adirondack Park Agency, as well as establishing the boundaries of the Adirondack Park’s Wilderness Areas and its Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers system.  

According to the New York Times: “When Clarence was 11, his mother ordered him to begin hiking 16 miles into town every Sunday night and to stay there all week so he could attend school. He graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1926, then earned a bachelor’s degree from the State College of Forestry (now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry) in Syracuse.

“After working for the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression, Mr. Petty served as a Navy pilot in the Pacific in World War II. He returned home and got a job as a ranger, combining his forestry and flying skills. He was the first person in New York State to extinguish a forest fire by dumping lake water from an airplane. He also trained hundreds of fledgling fliers at a school he ran in Potsdam, N.Y., from 1967 until 2000, when, at 95, he sold his planes."

He continued to hike in the Adirondacks until his death in 2009 at the age of 104.

The Next 50: How to Support the Clarence Petty Internship Fund

With the next generation of environmental and advocacy leaders in mind, the Adirondack Council is proud to partner with the Adirondack Foundation to grow a dedicated fund to support paid internships at the Adirondack Council in honor of Clarence Petty.

 You can make a contribution to the Clarence Petty Internship Fund at the Adirondack Foundation by:

•    Making a gift online. 
•    Calling our Elizabethtown office at 1.877.873.2240.
•    Sending a check made out to Adirondack Council - Adirondack Foundation Clarence Petty Internship Fund (CPIF) to:

Adirondack Council
PO Box D-2
Elizabethtown, NY 12932


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