Industry News
Alta Ski Area, Utah, has always been a big advocate environmental conservation, but this summer, Alta Environmental Center is taking it to the next level by planting more than 12,000 native plants in- and around the ski area.
Since 2008, Alta Environmental Center has been advising on and performing conservation efforts in Little Cottonwood Canyon, in an effort to preserve the natural beauty and health of the surrounding area. The organization has planted over 42,000 trees and 96,000 native plants in their pursuit of fulfilling their pledge to be better stewards of the private and public lands that Alta operates on.
Last summer, Alta Environmental Center harvested thousands of seeds on the slopes of Alta Ski Area, in preparation for this summer’s project. The seeds were then transported to local partners of the center, Dryland Horticulture in Salt Lake City, where the seeds were cared for over the winter.
Last month, Alta Environmental Center picked up the 12,700 seeds that had now blossomed into young plants over the spring, and brought them up to Wildcat Nursery at Alta. Staff at the Environmental Center will tend to the nursery, and routinely move plants out of the nursery to be planted throughout the course of the summer.
The Alta Environmental Center is already hard at work planting the native seedlings in the grounds of the resort, where snow has melted. Following last season’s historic 900″ of snow, the team will start from the base of the mountain, moving up with their planting process as snow continues to melt. Between the staff and volunteers, 1,500 of the 12,000 seedlings have already been planted.
Alongside all the work Alta Environmental Center does up at Alta Ski Area and up Little Cottonwood Canyon, the center looks to communities of all types to get involved locally in preservation efforts. Alta Environmental Center even hosts summer and winter stewardship events to encourage anyone interested to volunteer, offering locals the opportunity to get educated and help make a difference.
