The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Nature Conservancy is pleased to announce a partnership with the Sonnenalp Resort of Vail that will benefit Colorado’s forests. From now until April 22, 2012, the luxury resort will contribute $1 for each room night booked. Resort guests will also be invited to match the contribution to help reach Sonnenalp’s goal to provide at least $50,000 to the Conservancy’s forest work in Colorado.

With wildland fires already striking Colorado’s high country this spring, the Conservancy is focused on creating healthy forests that support the needs of people and nature. The Conservancy is working with a wide variety of partners to restore 350,000 acres of forests in Colorado for the benefit of wildlife and natural communities.

“Colorado's forests provide us with so much, from clean water to wildlife habitat to economic opportunities,” says Tim Sullivan, director of the Conservancy’s Colorado Chapter. “I applaud the Sonnenalp Resort’s commitment to partnering with The Nature Conservancy to benefit our state's forest lands. By sharing this commitment with resort guests and encouraging them to participate in the effort, we can ensure the health of these important lands and advance conservation work across the state.”

The partnership is representative of Sonnenalp Resort’s eco-friendly approach which recently earned it the Luxury Eco Certification Standards (LECS) from Sustainable Travel International, becoming the first hotel in the western United States to pass the intensive on-site inspection and receive this distinction. Designed to educate, as well as help luxury hotels create and implement a sustainability management framework, LECS is the first and only voluntary, global certification program of its kind, focusing on the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet and Profit).

“The main focus of our ‘green initiatives’ is to use sustainable and responsible practices that show our respect and appreciation for our wonderful mountain environment," explains Johannes Faessler, Owner and General Manager of the Sonnenalp Resort. “This partnership exemplifies our overall commitment to making sustainability a part of our corporate culture and our daily lives.”

Sonnenalp is also supporting The Nature Conservancy by sharing conservation news and stories to educate its guests and the public about forest health efforts in Colorado and Nature Conservancy work worldwide. Plus, guests will have a chance to see Conservancy public service announcements and videos on the in-house television channel.

“With years of fire exclusion, bark beetle outbreaks and rising temperatures, Colorado’s forests face many challenges,” says Paige Lewis, the Conservancy in Colorado’s director of forest health and fire initiatives. “This collaboration will help us continue on the path of restoring our forests using science and a wide array of partnerships to influence funding and policy decisions. We’ve seen great success with scientifically-designed prescribed burns that reduce fuel build-up and result in healthier forests and safer communities for people and nature.”