Events Overview

ACES events always seek to bring our community together, whether it be for educational experiences that inspire environmental stewardship or to build community.

During the past year, our events continued to celebrate ACES’ mission and goal of affecting positive change in the environment through conversation, connection, and education. These events wouldn’t be possible without the support of our partners and sponsors.

Spotlight: Jessica Catto Dialogues

Founded in memory of Jessica Hobby Catto, ACES’ Jessica Catto Dialogues (JCD) lecture series brings environmental luminaries to Aspen to inspire positive change. Each year, over 1,000 Aspen residents and visitors come together to engage in a free, open dialogue about our most pressing environmental concerns. This series highlights the work of leaders in environmental and climate science, regenerative agriculture, economics, and ecosystem health.

Last summer, we hosted prominent fire ecology experts, Dr. Jennifer Balch, Director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Dr. Stephen Pyne, author and emeritus professor at Arizona State University. Dr. Balch’s research aims to better understand patterns of anthropogenic climate and land cover disruptions. Dr. Pyne specializes in environmental history and the history of fire.

Spotlight: Speaker Series

ACES Speaker Series, which includes Naturalist Nights*, Potbelly Perspectives and Wild Perspectives*, gives scientists, adventurers, and other experts a platform to share their passions, while inspiring attendees to affect positive change. The majority of our speakers live in and around the Roaring Fork Valley, sharing stories of adventure travel in places far and wide (like the South Pole!), as well as research and exploration in the natural sciences.

*Naturalist Nights is a series in partnership with Wilderness Workshop and Roaring Fork Audubon.

*Wild Perspectives is a series in partnership with The Collective Snowmass.

ACES increased donor engagement, expanded partnerships with individuals and businesses, and fostered a greater sense of community through a lineup of programs and events in 2022. These accomplishments led to an increase of $956,470 in : the 2021 and 2020 contributions line item includes 50th Anniversary Capital

Annual operational expenses increased $330,783 from 2021 due to investments in programs, events, and initiatives. ACES anticipates operational expenses to grow significantly in late 2023, and beyond, as the Catto Center at Toklat is completed and operations are expanded. ACES continues to emphasize providing high quality housing for its employees and also anticipates

Community Programs:

 Hosted 1,900+ participants in summer community programs.

 Provided 53 scholarships for summer camps totaling $17,156.

 Identified 140+ bird species in our programs.

 Onboarded

21 Educator-in-training volunteers.

Rock Bottom Ranch:

 Planted 14,500 heads of lettuce.

 Collected 64,261 eggs

 6225 hours of hands-on work experience and education for beginning farmers.

 25 lambs born, 30 lambs processed.

 Grew 76 varieties of vegetables and 17 varieties of flowers.