Environmental Sustainability of Trail Systems and Base Lodges – John Frado Nordic Group International

John’s presentation focused on some finer points of trail building. To be nice to the environment, trail builders should use everything, make them permanent where possible and take great care by installing flat bottomed ditching. All shoulders should be seeded immediately

John also talked about the importance of naming trails. He said, ” The best sign is the one that gets stolen the most. I hope to get his slide show loaded up, John send it to me if you want it here!

The Greening of Devils Thumb Ranch – Bob Fanch, owner

Devils Thumb almost fell in to the hands of a Dutch Land Developer. Instead, Bob Fanch purchased Diamond Bar Ranch, Devils Thumb and Northrope Ranch totalling 5000 Acres of “Raw Colorado”.

The Ranch has been recognized as a leader in green practices through its extensive use of Geothermal heating sources.

Cool “green” initiatives at the ranch that won Environmental Protection Agency Awards:

-Geothermal Heated Lodge and Cabins. The Lodge has 52 rooms and there are 16 cabins.
-Extensive use of pine beetle kill wood
-Sand based sewage treatment system
-use of recycled timbers
-Use of sustainable cleaning supplies
-Double flush toilets reduced water consumption by 50%

Devils Thumb donates a voluntary 1% tax on revenues to the local Land Trust. The lodge has devloped only 80 of the 5000 acres of land it owns. They have donated lands to the Land Trust as well.

The goal is to have organic and sustainable food wherever possible.

Future plans:

• grow their own produce at the ranch, the valley used to be the largest lettuce growing valley in Colorado.

• Hut system at altitude for back country skiing

• Cat Skiing

• Zip-line System

The Ranch hosts nearly 60 weddings a year, offers fishing, hiking and biking in the summer and cross country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The food service is extensive and top notch and many visitors (20%) pay a visit to the Spa.

Conversation of the Decade – Allen Best – Denver Journalist

The Numbers
The amount of Carbon in the atmosphere:

280 – before industrial age
385 – November 07
450 – the max scientists believe our earth can sustain without major negative effects

Allan believes that these numbers will be better known to all of us in the comings years

He likened the current attitude towards Global Warming to his experience with smoking. In the 70’s when scientist were proving that smoking will have major negative side-effects on his health, he did his best not to think about it. Now, 30 years later he has to carry an oxygen tank around with him to breath. Lesson learned, don’t wait until it’s too late.

Allen then went on to talk about the Aspen Energy Program

It marks a significant turn in thinking, a departure from the American Ideal that people can do what they want with there homes and environments. Anyone with a home over 5000 sq ft must do something to mitigate energy consumption. This sort of thinking marks a growing cultural change that Allen sees coming.

Importance of Reward

He notes the importance of having “something to hang on the wall” essentially a way to showcase to the public that businesses and individuals are doing something special to help the environment. Here’s what aspen does.

He goes on to talk about the LEED program and the importance of getting buy in from everyone involved in a project that aims to be sustainable. Allen believes that the change is necissary to fight global warming must start at the local level through programs such as the one in Aspen

Another interesting point that Allen brought up the concept of Peak Oil ( read the book here )

The bigger impact that effects Nordic Areas may be the costs of energy and the resulting decrease in budgets that North American families will have to direct towards recreation activities. (Later discussion in at the conference suggested that high energy costs may actually encourage more local travel

For more information on Allen Best’s work click here