 CAMERON,
Mont., March 25, 2008 - A uniquely American twist on the eco-lodge concept,
The Lodge at Sun Ranch offers pampered seclusion in the heart of the real-world
Sun Ranch sustainable ranching operation in southwestern Montana's breathtaking
Madison River Valley. The U.S.'s newest eco-lodge, slated to open June
1, 2008, combines exceptional service, chef-prepared local and organic
gourmet meals and guided backcountry adventures with serious environmental
preservation practices and green education.
An intimate luxury accommodation, The Lodge at Sun Ranch caters to a
mere 16 guests at maximum capacity, surrounded by the 26,000-acre Sun Ranch
in Cameron, Montana. The ranchlands are part of the greater Yellowstone
ecosystem, abutting the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area, and encompass unique
and important wildlife migration routes between the Madison and Gravelly
mountain ranges.
The Lodge at Sun Ranch represents an expansion, relocation and renaming
of Sun Ranch Group's original hospitality operation, the award-winning
Papoose Creek Lodge. Relocated to the ranch's main house, the new lodge
boasts 10,000 square feet of space and offers guests six guest rooms and
suites in the main building and two freestanding cabins, as well as expanded
common areas including a larger kitchen, dining room and wine cellar --
while incorporating the same outstanding recreational opportunities, service
and commitment to sustainability that built the Papoose Creek Lodge reputation.
The Sun Ranch Group is an �eco-enterprise� that is built on
four pillars:
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eco-tourism (The Lodge),
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holistic cattle ranching (Sun Ranch Agriculture),
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limited conservation development (The Sun Ranch Settlement), and a
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non-profit research institute (Sun Ranch Institute).
These four companies work together under the Sun Ranch Group umbrella to
improve the environment, enhance our local community, and preserve Southwestern
Montana�s way of life and wildlife.
Lodge Eco-features
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Conscientious decision making. We take a blended value, or double-bottom
line approach to each and every decision. Examples include: sourcing from
local producers and artisans, purchasing in bulk to minimize wasteful packaging,
utilizing reusable and recyclable materials, and purchasing organic and
fair trade products.
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Green building techniques. The Lodge�s eco-renovation made use of
pre-existing structures, recycled building materials, and local contractors.
The end result is a Lodge whose �footprint� is considerably less than that
of a new lodge building.
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Farm-to-table culinary program. The Lodge�s kitchen produces gourmet
meals prepared from local, natural, free-range, and organic products.
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Guest education. The �Guest Speaker Series� is a weekly event when
local scientists, naturalists, artists and outfitters are invited to discuss
their work in the Madison Valley, their concerns about issues facing Montana,
and their hopes for the future.
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Traveler�s Philanthropy program. Guests contribute their financial
support to local causes. �Books for the Library� is our most popular philanthropy
program, where guests help raise money for the new Ennis Library by purchasing
books from The Lodge�s shelf of recommended reading (titles nominated by
Sun Ranch staff).
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Conservation member and collaborator. The Lodge is a member of 19
local conservation organizations, including: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation,
Madison Valley Ranch Lands Group, and The Trust for Public Land.
Sun Ranch Eco-features
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Water exchange program. Sun Ranch donated a 10-year lease to Trout
Unlimited to free the tributary creeks and streams that were once used
for irrigation. Today, these drainages flow unimpeded into the Madison
River, reopening historic trout spawning grounds and injecting the river
with fresh, cold water vital to the Madison�s health.
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Barbed wire fence replacement. The ranch has worked in conjunction
with Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to take down over 40 miles of wildlife-unfriendly
barbed wire fencing. In its place, the ranch put up a minimal amount of
fencing by creating larger, less divided grazing pastures. Making use of
un-barbed, hi-tensile, removable fence the 5,000 elk that winter on Sun
Ranch are now able to migrate freely according to natural rhythms.
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On-going range enhancement improves the land and watersheds, creating
better cattle and wildlife forage along with better water for the Madison
Valley.
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Ongoing scientific research to establish economically and environmentally
valid sustainable ranching techniques for the good of the ranching community
as a whole.
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The Lodge at Sun Ranch and the Sun Ranch 1,500-head holistic ranch operation,
along with the nonprofit Sun Ranch Institute, are part of the Sun Ranch
Group, a fully sustainable "conservation enterprise" built around environmentally
credible practices in real estate, agriculture and recreation. Sun Ranch
Group also includes the Sun Ranch Settlement, a minimal residential real
estate community; Sun Ranch Construction, which oversees construction of
homes using green building techniques and materials; and Sun Ranch Group
Conservation and Consulting Service, which helps other land owners and
businesses employ Sun Ranch Group's innovative market-driven conservation
business model.
For additional information on The Lodge at Sun Ranch, visit http://www.sunranchlodge.com
or call 406-682-3030. |
