Since 2008, Appalachia, the mountaineering and conservation journal published by the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Waterman Fund have joined to sponsor an annual essay contest for emerging writers. Writers who have not published a major work of fiction or narrative nonfiction on topics of wilderness, wildness, or the ethics and ecology of environmental issues are eligible.

The Waterman Fund provides generous prize money of $3,000 for the first-place essay selection and $1,000 for a runner-up.

For 2026, we invite essays that address any or all topics related to: our relationship to the natural living world, land and place, preservation/conservation, alpine ecosystems, wild(er)ness and the deep woods.

Deadline: Mar 15, 2026

More information [1].