50th Anniversary Capital Campaign

Last year, in honor of ACES’ 50th anniversary, the Board of Trustees and ACES’ CEO Chris Lane launched a $12.5 million capital campaign. Today, over 80% of the goal has been reached thanks to inspired leadership giving during the “quiet phase.” The community phase will unfold over the next year to ensure that ACES’ facilities are safe and up-to-date, that vital educational programs reach as many people as possible, and that our beloved sites are protected for the enjoyment of all.

As we look to the future, we recognize that our work has just begun. Through an in-depth analysis of what we want to accomplish in the next 50 years, ACES’ staff and board have identified three priority areas of focus:

Community Building

Connecting People to Nature at the Catto Center at Toklat

Helping influencers of all ages understand humanity’s unique connection to the natural world and its life–supporting and economy–sustaining systems is one of the most direct ways to protect the global environment. ACES’ wilderness retreat center, the Catto Center at Toklat is where we will provide that connection.

Surrounded by wilderness and disconnected from a wired world, a renovated Toklat will feature a restored ecology center, artist– and scientist–in–residence programs, natural and historic heritage library, and a wilderness convening space for citizens, children, community and business leaders, policy–makers, teachers, and nonprofits.

Education

Building the Environmental Science Education Movement

As a beacon of science–based environmental leadership and education for all ages, our place–based science education will cultivate community consciousness and environmental stewardship on a local, state, and national level, advancing our mission beyond our physical boundaries and into underserved communities and schools. We will contribute to a national agenda for increased environmental science education. In an effort to teach the world to rethink farming and food, we are transforming Rock Bottom Ranch into a national center modeling regenerative food systems. ACES will create food–literate citizens by: investing in infrastructure to demonstrate scalable, replicable systems of regenerative agriculture, creating a national farmer training program, and teaching these systems to both adults and students.

Protection and Restoration

Leading Collaborative Efforts in Ecosystem Restoration and Land Conservation

Through our Climate & Forest Department, ACES will restore natural habitats and ecosystems throughout the region, including ACES sites. We will serve as a model for restoration efforts, ecological health, climate education, and outdoor community classrooms, providing cutting–edge, science–based information to the public. This will include assessing the state of our forests and ecosystem health through on–the–ground restoration work, in–depth science analysis, data sharing, and collaborations with universities, government agencies, and other NGOs.

Specific Initiatives

Community Building

Renovation of Catto Center at Toklat Hallam Lake Visitor Center Improvements Local Food Production Infrastructure $6,100,000 $1,425,000 $700,000

Education

ACES Educator Housing in Carbondale Increased Environmental Education for Children $750,000 $600,000

Sustainable Agriculture in Schools National Farmer Training and Education Program

$550,000 $750,000 Classroom Technology and Quantitative Metrics $100,000 Outdoor Environmental Education for Downvalley Schools $125,000

Protection and Restoration

Hallam Lake Aquatic Habitat Restoration Regional Forest Health Restoration Bioblitz Species Inventory and North Star Preserve $750,000 $250,000 $125,000

When ACES moves forward with our campaign, we hope you will join us to “Protect the Future”. More details on these initiatives can be found at protectingthefuture.org.

Thank you to the donors that have donated to ACES’ 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign “Protecting the Future” as of May 31, 2020.

Leadership Campaign Gifts

Anonymous (2) Currie and Tom Barron Carolyn Bucksbaum Catto Shaw Foundation Mel and Adam Lewis Gina and Jerry Murdock Penner Family Foundation Margot and Tom Pritzker

Capital Campaign Gifts

Nancy Sweet Adams Allison Teal and Sam Brown Michael Carricarte Charlie Cole Sally Cole Jan and Neal Dempsey Lissa Ballinger & Andy Docken Fidel Duke Kim and Mark Hamilton The Woody & Gayle Hunt Family Reenie Kinney and Scott Hicks Leslie Lamont and Lance Luckett Malott Family Foundation Nancy Meinig Diane Moore and Joel Sax Marcie and Robert Musser David Newberger Helen Ward and Wally Obermeyer Ben Pritzker Ashley and Mike Ramos Barbara and Donald Rosenberg Sheri Sanzone and Chris Bendon Lisa and David Schiff The Wade Family The Rob & Melani Walton Foundation Becky and Craig Ward