The mission statement is simple and clear:

The purpose of the Society is to forge partnerships among citizens, scientists, and professionals to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs for today and tomorrow.

The implication of this mission is that we are not a society with a narrow focus on professionals, academic researchers, or any smaller interest group. NALMS is a melting pot in terms of membership, and welcomes anyone interested in lakes and lake management.

Over the years since the formation of NALMS, efforts to become more of a grass roots organization with emphasis on citizen members through Chapters have been less effective than hoped. Efforts to focus on just professional members have met strong opposition. We are to some extent limited by our greatest strength ? diversity. This should not be a limiting factor, but we have yet to harness the power of having so many member groups. Recent planning efforts focus on working toward that goal.

The specific goals of the society, as spelled out in the Constitution and Bylaws, are as follows:

1. To facilitate the exchange of information on the technical and administrative aspects of managing lakes and their watersheds.
2. To promote public awareness of lake ecosystems.
3. To encourage public support for national, state or provincial, and local programs promoting management of lakes and their watersheds.
4. To provide guidance to public and private agencies involved in or planning management activities for lakes and their watersheds.
5. To improve the professional status of all persons engaged in any aspect of managing lakes and their watersheds.
6. To identify needs and encourage research on lake ecology and watershed management.