ACES Annual Report 2021

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

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Table of Contents 01 03 04 06 07 08 09 10 12 14 17 18 20 21 22 23 24

About ACES Letter from the CEO Downvalley Migrations & ACES Ed Rock Bottom Ranch Humus & Humility: Farmer Training Program A Lesson in Patience: Training ACES' New Golden Eagle Naturalist Programs A Changing Landscape: Hallam Lake Restoration Time for Toklat Events & Community Programs Financials Membership & Donors Capital Campaign Update Corporate Sponsors Administrative Staff & Trustees Where We Work & Partners ACES' Impact in 2020

About ACES Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a non-profit environmental science education organization with three locations in the Roaring Fork Valley: Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and the Catto Center at Toklat.

Since 1968, ACES has inspired a life-long commitment to the earth by providing innovative and immersive programming for all ages. Our programs focus on ecological literacy, regenerative agriculture, forest and ecosystem health, land restoration, and environmental leadership.

ACES contributes to a national agenda for increased environmental awareness. With support from 70 partner organizations, our programs reach over 140,000 individuals every year. We teach daily in local schools, lead camps in the summer, and host adult classes. We share the beauty and ecology of our area with locals and visitors through naturalist-led hikes and field programs for all ages. We also engage our community by hosting public lectures and events. ACES collaborates with land trusts, public agencies, and other nonprofits to achieve our mission.

INSPIRED BY THE WORDS OF OUR FOUNDER, E L I Z A B E T H PA E P C K E , AC ES ’ M I S S I O N I S “ E CD U C A T I N G F O R E N V I R O N M E N T A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y . ”

In the next 50 years, ACES seeks to cultivate a community of environmental stewards so that children, parents, consumers, decision-makers, and leaders can make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.

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Nature: The Human Factor LETTER FROM THE CEO COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, social injustice, the storming of the Capitol, diversity-equity-inclusion, and…oh, the climate crisis. The past year has been one we will never forget.

We completed a “bioblitz” of the Hallam Lake nature preserve and published our new book, The Hidden Life Around Us, highlighting more than 440 diverse living species that call the preserve home.

These showed us how connected we all are on this small planet. A microscopic virus and a macroscopic social movement can cross the globe in days just like a carbon molecule or other pollutant—each with its own unique consequences to society.

This fall of 2021, we will restore Hallam Lake, creating more diverse aquatic and wetlands habitats to enhance the rich ecology of the preserve so that it continues to support bears, beavers, herons, osprey, eagles, coyotes, mountain lions, and the hundreds of other living species here. Furthermore, the lake’s fragile and leaky levee will be repaired, ensuring that Hallam Lake remains a lake for decades to come.

Nearly 8 billion of us now are all in this together, societally and environmentally, trying to thrive in the Anthropocene, this period of human activity dominating the global environment.

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PEOPLE. C O N N E C T I N G P E O P L E T O N AT U R E .

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As the technological and epidemiological wonders of vaccination take hold in our country, we witness, yet again, that science works. This is what our public health and environmental policies should be predicated upon.

In the spring of 2022, we will break ground on the renovation of our wilderness retreat center, the Catto Center at Toklat. This one-of-a-kind site has, for 70 years, brought people of all ages together to connect with nature, challenging visitors to explore the scientific, historical, and spiritual roots of our relationship with the natural world. Visitors come away with changed hearts and changed minds.

But maybe what this unprecedented year taught us most is that to truly thrive we need each other, human interaction, human connection… love. Without this, how can we even begin to protect nature?

In 2022, we will make improvements to our infrastructure at the Hallam Lake visitor center, improving the visitor experience while enhancing education opportunities at this site.

And nature is currently taking a beating. Despite a slight pandemic blip of a slowdown, the human impact on the earth continues at an unfettered pace. We have dammed most of the world’s major rivers.

Our combustion engines and power plants emit one hundred times more carbon dioxide than volcanoes. Humanity outweighs wild mammals by a ratio of more than eight to one (22 to one when adding domesticated animals). Environmental author, Elizabeth Kolbert writes, “Humans are producing no-analog climates, no-analog ecosystems, a whole no-analog future.” In other words, we are moving into unchartered global ecological territory!

At Rock Bottom Ranch, we will expand our food production systems, modeling regenerative agriculture techniques, while also making improvements to our physical facilities.

ACES will continue to provide science-based information to the public.

This will include the state of our forests and ecosystem health through on-the-ground restoration, data sharing, and partnerships with local and national science organizations.

ACES affects these challenges by educating for environmental responsibility, influencing people to make ecologically informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.

After a daunting year of COVID-induced human separation, shutdown, lockdown, and Zoom adaptations, this year we will spring back to life (as COVID protocols allow), doing what ACES specializes in—beyond ecological literacy—the human factor. Building community within our community. Bringing people back to people.

This past year, challenging as it was, ACES’ staff stuck together, never gave up, and continued to take big steps forward. One of those steps was concluding our $12.5 million capital campaign. This is already bearing fruit.

Whether it be farm to table dinners, mushroom fair, naturalist-guided tours, astronomy events, birding classes, Jessica Catto Dialogues, member picnics, or our other events, classes, or lecture series—ACES creates a deeper connection between humans and the natural world.

This year ACES instituted its new regenerative farmer training program, bringing future farmers from around the country to learn how to grow food using low-carbon techniques that actually restore, not degrade, land.

And we all learned during the pandemic that we all need human connection. And nature.

We have begun the expansion of our in-school environmental science education programs to serve six additional schools in the region. A key component to this was the completion of our new teacher housing in Carbondale so that our educators can more feasibly reach schools further downvalley. In the upcoming year, we also will be expanding our field science programs to get more youths outdoors.

ACES connects those dots. Connecting people to people. Connecting people to nature.

Chris Lane Chief Executive Officer 3

printer access. Each grade-level team of teachers at the district schools collaborated (and in some cases co-taught) with me to learn the lessons and include them in their future curriculum. The students were just as encouraging, eager to share their stories and questions about the environmental topics we were exploring.

My downvalley ACES experience was deeply rewarding because the schools I worked with welcomed my presence with enthusiasm.

I was able to fill a niche at these schools while furthering ACES’ mission and sharing EE with the greater community. I had the opportunity to coordinate with teachers and connect with hundreds of students. The kids greeted me with a giggle at my cat-inspired nickname and, eventually, an excited hug at my weekly return.

" E V E R Y N AT U R A L O B J E C T O R T O O L I B R O U G H T W I T H M E — A B E A R P E LT , GRANITE ROCK, AN EAGLE’S WING, A M O U S E ’ S S K U L L O R S O L A R PA N E L S A N D M AG N I F Y I N G G L AS S ES —W E R E B OT H FA M I L I A R A N D A S T O N I S H I N G T O R E - 2 STUDENTS"

K I T T Y W I N O G R A D T E A C H E S A C E S ' E N V I R O N M E N TA L E D U C AT I O N I N T H E C H I L D R E N ' S G A R D E N AT R O C K B O T T O M R A N C H

Downvalley Migrations E X PA N D I N G AC ES ' E D U CAT I O N P R O G RA M S Kitty Winograd, Rock Bottom Ranch Community Programs Coordinator One-hour classes, once a week for students in grades K-5. Two schools a year for three years. One ACES Educator—me—to teach environmental education (EE) to 2,878 students in the RE-2 School District.

Starting in the fall of 2018, I began to puzzle with the different places and people in the RE-2 District who would receive in-school ACES Environmental Education (EE) in their public schools. As I write from the finish line—a few years later in 2021—I appreciate the collaborative effort between the ACES Education team and the administrators, teachers and students at the six RE-2 elementary schools: Kathryn Senor, Elk Creek, Cactus Valley, Wamsley, Highland, and Graham Mesa.

Though I can now see the immense success of these programs, the process wasn’t always easy. The difficulties of putting these pieces together were exacerbated by unexpected challenges–like the passing of ACES' Education Director in 2019 and the onset of a global pandemic last year.

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My guiding light through these unexpected events was ACES’ mission to educate for environmental responsibility and my personal “why”–to provide ACES programs to students who happen to live further away, so they, too, could have regular access to environmental education in their schools. EE welcomes students to explore their surroundings in order to learn about the local ecosystems, plants, and wildlife. Students’ knowledge of nature empowers them to care for the environment now and in the future.

This work was made possible by our donors, including funding from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), an organization that invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds in stewardship and conservation efforts. In 2017, GOCO awarded a grant to Garfield County Outdoors, a collaborative initiative of school districts and local organizations (including ACES), to connect youth and families in the RE-2 and Garfield 16 School Districts with the outdoors.

Each school in the district welcomed me with a well-planned teaching schedule and access to teaching resources–even coveted

Every natural object or tool I brought with me—a bear pelt, granite rock, an eagle’s wing, a mouse’s skull or solar panels and magnifying glasses—were both familiar and astonishing to RE-2 students.

Students could easily identify the objects, but they couldn’t name why they sparked such joy and excitement. Touching the soft down feathers of an eagle’s wing or feeling the stiff flight feathers send a powerful push of wind against their faces made their eyes say “WOW.” These students (and most students I know) are drawn to nature so strongly that I, in a sense, did nothing but guide one hour of time to explore and learn more about a topic that embodies all that is wonderful and curious—the natural world around them.

It didn’t take long for the excitement of ACES to spread throughout the schools—even to students that I didn't directly teach. Passing students in the hall with my eagle wing or bear pelt in tow, hushed exclamations of “What is that?” and “Is it real?” trailed after me in each of the six schools. While at times implementing these programs was logistically complicated, I soon felt at home within these schools and their communities.

In 2018, the finish line (the end of the three years teaching in RE-2) where I now stand looked awfully distant. Despite the challenges we experienced while putting these programs into place, we knew that the investment in our community would be worth it. Today, I see the beginning of a longstanding dedication to sharing EE with our downvalley community.

At ACES, our mission is to educate for environmental responsibility.

Part of our goal involves engaging as many people and students as possible with meaningful learning opportunities. Whether it begins with an eye-catching wing or a box of shiny rocks, these experiences provide students with a deeper understanding of and connection to their local environments, and will plant the seed for a lifetime of environmental stewardship.

A B O U T O U R E D U C AT I O N PROGRAMS ACES Ed inspires students of all ages to be curious. Our standards-aligned in-classroom instruction paired with field experiences motivates students to ask questions about the natural world. In these programs, kids explore and connect with the local environment, develop an interest in science, and learn how to care for our natural resources.

Since 1975, ACES Ed has partnered with local schools to provide a broad spectrum of environmental education. In the future, ACES Ed can serve as a model for environmental education throughout the state and nation. This year, Educators continued to refine the ACES Ed curriculum to align with the 2020 Colorado Academic Standards in science. Standardsaligned in-classroom instruction paired with field experiences In the 2020-2021 school year, ACES educators continued to provide daily instruction for our partner schools: Aspen Elementary, Basalt Elementary, and Crystal River Elementary.

In the fall of 2020, schools began with several weeks of virtual instruction. To give kids an opportunity to spend time outdoors, we offered “ACES After School Club” at nearby community parks at no cost to students from Basalt Elementary and Crystal River Elementary.

Last year, ACES Ed completed a third year of instruction in the Re-2 School District. ACES provided three days per week of virtual classes for Highland Elementary in Fall 2020 and one day per week of in-person environmental education at Graham Mesa Elementary in Spring 2021. As a result of our partnership with the Re-2 School District, we were thrilled to add a fourth ACES Ed partner school in February—Kathryn Senor Elementary in New Castle.

ACES offered Tomorrow’s Voices, a college-level course for Roaring Fork Valley high school students, virtually this year. This college-level course focuses on social justice and environmental stewardship. Throughout this program, students develop critical thinking skills and the agency to effect positive change in the world.

From 2018-2020, Kitty Winograd brought ACES' in-school environmental education lessons to students in grades K-5 over three years at six elementary schools from New Castle to Rifle: • • • • • •

Fall 2018 | Kathryn Senor, New Castle Spring 2019 | Elk Creek, New Castle Fall 2019 | Cactus Valley, Silt Spring 2020 | Wamsley, Rifle Fall 2020 | Highland, Rifle Spring 2021 | Graham Mesa, Rifle 5

Humus & Humility FA R M E R T R A I N I N G P R O G R A M AT R O C K B OT TO M R A N C H Mariah Foley, Agriculture Manager As farmers market season begins, so does a Friday night ritual.

Warm water, soap—the kind mechanics use—orange and pumice stone. My hands are dirty from the field in a way that feels permanent. Dirt and tomato pollen fill the cracks of my knuckles, a reminder of the week’s work. The work revolves around this dirt, soil underneath veggies and pasture grasses. The humus (carbonrich topsoil) that holds so much life. A meditation always comes to me: humus-humility, humus-humility, humus-humility.

If I could only have one word to describe farming, humbling is what I’d choose.

First, there is the struggle: the work is hard on the body, the weather swings from frost to record heat in the same day. The pests and predators come hungry, things grow too fast or too slow.

It all could be lost in an unexpected, unpreventable force of nature.

M A R I A H F O L E Y , A LY S S A B A R S A N T I , A N D M E G A N K I L L E R ( L - R ) H A R V E S T S A L A N O VA L E T T U C E AT R O C K B O T T O M R A N C H

ABOUT ROCK BOTTOM RANCH At Rock Bottom Ranch, ACES develops models for replicable, regenerative agriculture to restore soil biodiversity and positively affect our climate. We educate farmers and eaters alike about the link between land stewardship and food production.

Our vegetable and livestock production systems are designed to mimic nature and work with natural cycles. Holistic livestock management is critical to the process of nutrient-cycling and carbon sequestration. We raise sheep, cattle, laying hens, broiler chickens,

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and rabbits—all with a focus on animal welfare and pasture health.

those we faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Low-till vegetable production minimizes soil disturbance to preserve soil structure. This allows for intensive spacing between rows, maximizing the land’s productivity. Our greenhouses are passively heated, allowing us to produce year-round without the need for any fossil fuels or supplemental heat.

In the past year, we started our Farmer Training program, planted a Heritage Garden, and hosted educational farm to table dinners. In the summer of 2020, we hosted outdoor summer camps, connecting youth to food, place, and community.

Our scale and systems allow us to be nimble in response to the needs and challenges of our community, such as

During the school year, we welcomed classes from neighboring schools to learn about regenerative agriculture in our outdoor classroom.

Even more humbling, are the successes: the sharp bite of radish still cool from the ground, knee-high pasture bursting with diversity and life, laying hens running out to fresh grass every morning, baby seedlings bursting from their seed coats. The hard work heightens the successes. The failures crystallize how close we could have been to not having any of the season's gifts.

But, really, as is true for anything, it’s the people. I am humbled each day by the opportunity to work with the people that I do.

My coworkers are mentors and role models, co-conspirators, and teammates. The nature of the work forges trust that is hard to come by. I am surrounded by multifaceted, talented people doing what they love. This job requires humor, ingenuity, hard work, drive, flexibility, and balance. Whether in struggles or success, I am buoyed by my comrades. As the fever-pitch of summer hits, so does the realization that I could never do this alone.

Along with the soil, people are the most valuable resource on a farm. Humus-humility. Let’s add humanity.

It is this humanity that makes a long career in farming feel possible.

I started farming when I was 18 because of the tangible successes and failures, the dirt under my fingernails. This job is a never-ending science experiment—tweaking little bits of the system to see how much food we can grow. The competition is addicting, because no matter what goals we accomplish, there are more right behind them. As an individual, it is easy to get stuck into machine-like striving. But farming is a team sport. My successes and failures

are not mine alone. The accomplishments that keep their luster have a lot more to do with teamwork, mentorship, and seeing my coworkers succeed than a measurable benchmark.

In 2021, ACES is expanding how they train and support young farmers. Building on our strong foundation, Rock Bottom Ranch kicked off an enhanced Farmer Training Program this spring. Four Agriculture Apprentices joined the team in March to start an eightmonth immersive on-the-job training program with an education curriculum designed to give beginning farmers a strong foundation for their careers. In addition to working a full growing season, the apprentices participate in an educational curriculum including training, demonstrations, workshops, tours, documentaries, and discussions.

" D I RT A N D TO M ATO P O L L E N FILL THE CRACKS OF MY KNUCKLES, A REMINDER OF THE WEEK'S WORK" Three part-time Agriculture Summer Stewards joined at the beginning of June, working on both the livestock and vegetable crews during the busiest part of the season. The position allows students or community members who cannot commit to a longer season to learn and experience a summer at the ranch. These new positions grew out of years of exposing new farmers to regenerative agriculture systems and the hard work of past ag crew staff members. We’re investing in the future of agriculture as we educate for environmental responsibility.

My personal reasons for stepping into the Agriculture Manager position this season are rooted in the desire to keep myself grounded in the humanity of farming by focusing on training and supporting other young farmers. The success of seeing the confidence and competency of beginning farmers grow along with the lambs and the kale is a more sustainable accomplishment than a record market-sales day.

As I scrub the last of the dirt from my hands, trying to lift the most stubborn bits deep under my nails, I think humus-humilityhumanity, and I am grateful for the week’s work and those I get to do it with.

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N AT U R A L I S T T O U R I N T H E C A S T L E C R E E K VA L L E Y

Lessons in Patience TRAINING ACES' NEW GOLDEN EAGLE Jeb Hines, Mentor Naturalist In the Spring of 2020, the world embarked on a lesson in patience.

People in all corners of the globe learned to sit tight, hold on, and wait for the positive resolution we all hoped to see. In addition to the lessons forced upon us by the pandemic, I began to learn patience from another, less alarming teacher.

I learned to stand still and quiet, day after day. I learned to respect the free will and spirit of a magnificent creature. In March of 2020, I began to train a Golden eagle.

ACES has been home to Golden eagles for four decades. Before my time as an ACES Naturalist, there was a resident eagle who delighted visitors for 38 years. Many knew and loved this bird, who passed away in 2019. During her residency at ACES, she had learned to perch on a falconry glove and was the subject of many educational classes.

In December of 2019, another eagle took up residence at the Nature Preserve. Here was a wild eagle, one that may have been flying free above the Great Sand Dunes of southern Colorado just over a year ago. Though resigned to captivity after an injury to its wing, it had no interest in training with humans, perching on a glove, or being carried outside its mew (an enclosure designed for birds of prey).

With the hope of sharing a new golden eagle ambassador with visitors of Hallam Lake, I joined the “eagle team” in March of 2020.

As a team, our goal was to reduce this bird’s fear of people and to build a relationship of trust–much like that shared with this eagle’s more social predecessor.

The training process was tedious. In 2019, ACES chose to adopt a “consent-based” training method for birds of prey–meaning we can only train birds at their own will. Trainers give a “cue”—a sound or noise that indicates the bird should perform a certain task—then wait and see if the bird chooses to cooperate. In the early days of training, we set a time limit of 4 minutes for the eagle to respond before we assumed that it was uninterested in training and rewards.

Four minutes is not a long time in the grand scheme of things. But when you’re standing stock still, knowing every move or sound you make could distract or frighten the eagle, four minutes feels like eternity. Once, on an early summer day, I stood still for so long that two hummingbirds raced between my legs. They seemed not to notice that I was a human and not some sort of tree.

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During that time standing still, my mind was free to wander.

Sometimes I thought about what was going on in the world.

Sometimes I thought about things going on in my life. At other times, I thought about the nature of the creature I was hoping to “train.” Here was a Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, named for the flowing trail of golden feathers on the nape of its neck. This is the eagle whose likeness was cast in bronze and carried as a standard before marching Roman Legions and Napoleon’s Grande Armee.

This is one of the largest birds of prey in the world—a creature capable of diving from the sky at nearly 200 miles per hour, forcing goats off of mountain precipices and feeding on their carcasses below. In the wild, this bird can use its powerful beak and 3-inch talons to dissect the flesh of its mammalian prey. These animals can ride the wind, high in the sky, for incredibly long periods without flapping their 8-foot wings.

A B O U T O U R N AT U R A L I S T PROGRAMS

" I STO O D ST I L L FO R S O LO N G T H AT T W O H U M M I N G B I R D S R A C E D BETWEEN MY LEGS" Misfortune denied this particular bird the freedom to exercise its natural prowess as an apex predator. After breaking the digit bones on its right wing, this bird lost three long primary flight feathers, which will never grow back. This eagle came to Hallam Lake without the abilities needed to thrive in the natural world. We hope to give it the best life possible—one with a home in which it can inspire those lucky enough to see it.

Each summer, ACES trains up to 16 Summer Naturalists.

These enthusiastic college graduates act as ambassadors to Aspen, inspiring connections to our area, reaching over 40,000 locals and visitors. They spend the summer months guiding hikes and providing educational outreach on Aspen Mountain, Snowmass Mountain, Maroon Bells, and other iconic sites. In the winter, they guide snowshoe and ski tours on Aspen Mountain, Snowmass Mountain, and in the Castle Creek Valley.

Patience is paying off. Over time, 4 minutes has become 45 seconds. We still have ups and downs with training, but considering where we started, I can see how much progress we’ve made. Our consistent work has led to a growing sense of trust and understanding with this bird. The ACES "eagle team", Kitty Winograd, Grayson Bauer, Gus Longo, Denali Barron and I have much to be proud of–and much work ahead of us as we continue the training process!

Through training, guiding, and individual research, Naturalists develop a deep knowledge of local ecology, environmental issues, human history, and the physical landscape. While at ACES, Naturalists develop a greater understanding and passion for their favorite subjects as they plot their own career paths.

For more than 30 years, Naturalists in this ever-growing group of ACES alumni go on to become scientists, teachers, land managers, policymakers, non-profit administrators, and sustainability experts. With ACES as a foundation, Naturalists further the ACES mission by bringing their knowledge, communication skills, and appreciation of the natural world to new communities.

As I continue building a relationship with this majestic creature, I remember this raptor’s origins—and contemplate what he is teaching me. I look forward to tomorrow’s lesson.

JEB HINES TRAINS THE GOLDEN EAGLE

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H A L L A M L A K E N AT U R E P R E S E R V E

75% of native species.

The work to improve habitat and repair infrastructure at Hallam Lake will take place in

WETLANDS C U R R E N T LY REPRESENT LESS THAN 3% OF COLORADO’S LAND AREA BUT BENEFIT OVER 75 % O F N AT I V E SPECIES. September of this year. For about 45 days, Hallam Lake will be fully drained as the restoration work is completed.

A Changing Landscape

While Hallam Lake has served many cultural and ecological purposes over the years, it has always been an important part of the Roaring Fork Valley. With the coming improvements, we will contribute to an even healthier ecosystem—one that will benefit the landscape in innumerable ways.

ABOUT OUR FOREST AND C L I M AT E P R O G R A M S ACES’ Forest & Climate Program was founded to better understand and address the alarming trends we see in Colorado’s forests. Our work includes education, research, monitoring, and restoration.

Our forests are one of the most visible and important ecosystems in the Roaring Fork watershed.

They are also the local harbingers of climate change. Declining aspen stands, conifers killed by bark beetles, and increasing wildfires are all symptoms of the persistent hot drought caused by climate change. ACES continues working to educate locals and visitors about the impacts of climate change through walks in burn areas, dendrochronology experiences, and weekly Know Your Trees walks.

ACES’ Forest & Climate Program continues to maintain and share Colorado’s Forest Health Index (foresthealthindex.org) a tool that tracks critical drivers of forest health including temperature, precipitation, fire risk, ozone, insect and disease, soil moisture, and temperature for 38 forested watersheds in Colorado. This is an essential tool for monitoring the drivers of forest health and understanding how climate change is impacting our local ecosystems.

BIOBLITZ: DISCOVER ASPEN’S WILDLIFE WONDERS In 2020, ACES published a book titled The Hidden Life Around Us. The new coffee table-style book showcases the beauty of many of the species that call Hallam Lake Nature Preserve home.

Through over 150 photos taken at or near Hallam Lake, we tell the stories of some of Aspen’s most treasured residents.

H U N T E R S M U G G L E R C O O P E R AT I V E P L A N : U N D E R S TA N D I N G YO U R O W N B A C K YA R D ACES continues to work with our partners on the Hunter Smuggler Cooperative to protect and restore Aspen’s backyard. Recently, ACES worked with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, Aspen Historical Society, and the US Forest Service to design interpretive signs for the Hunter Creek Trail.

RESTORING HALLAM LAKE Adam McCurdy, Forest and Climate Director

HISTORY Hallam Lake is the alpine serengeti of Aspen—and also a place with deep human history. For thousands of years before miners arrived, the Ute People spent summers in the upper Roaring Fork Valley. At that time, the area we now know as Hallam Lake was a series of wetlands and springs and also one of the many places the Ute visited to find food and shelter. In the 1880s, miners arrived, forcing many of the Ute off of their native land. During Aspen’s rise as a silver mining town, an earthen dam was constructed to impound the many springs and upwellings that created the wetlands. This led to the initial creation of the Hallam Lake we know today.

Since its creation, Hallam Lake has served as a recreation site, fish hatchery, ice harvesting area, horse pasture, and now, a nature preserve. Over time, the wildlife that inhabits Hallam Lake adapted to this altered ecosystem. Fish, beaver, and muskrats find refuge in the lake's water. In the summer, swallows come by the thousands to eat insects that hatch from the water each morning and night.

The warm spring-fed water is an important resting place for winter migratory waterfowl. At any time of year, wildlife including osprey, 10

AT A N Y T I M E O F Y E A R , WILDLIFE INCLUDING O S P R E Y, BA L D E AG L ES , KINGFISHER, AND MINK FISH I N T H E WAT E R S O F H A L L A M LAKE. bald eagles, kingfisher, and mink fish in the waters of Hallam Lake.

Hallam Lake is an important part of the landscape, both to wildlife and to humans. For this reason, ACES is planning on taking steps to ensure Hallam Lake continues to exist into the future.

R E S T O R AT I O N As part of ACES’ 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign, we raised funds to improve the terrestrial and aquatic habitats of Hallam Lake. Over decades, the outflow structure and levee have degraded, and the lake is filling with sediment, reducing structural diversity. Increasing structural diversity—having different depths in the lake—will improve aquatic habitat for fish and invertebrates, and in turn, the species that feed on them. Additionally, the upper portions of Hallam Lake will benefit from an increase in wetlands adjacent to the Lake, increasing its biodiversity. Wetlands currently represent less than 3% of Colorado’s land area but benefit over

LAKE CHRISTINE FIRE BURN SITE WITH REGROWTH 11

T O K L AT LO D G E C I R C A 1 9 5 5

LO O K I N G FO RWA R D Toklat has always been a place to gather. A renovated Toklat will function as a state-of-the-art ecology center, a space for community programs, an artist-in-residence space, and a wilderness retreat center for teachers, youth, community leaders, and policy-makers.

We have planned spaces for our residency program which will feature artists, scientists, and writers. The remodel will remove an old greenhouse and restore the original entrance. The library, which includes traditional and historical ecology books, will also be opened to visitors.

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y As part of this project, we have developed a sustainability team to help us with our goal of having a net-zero building.

This team of energy experts includes CORE, Holy Cross, ACES staff, Michael Fuller Architects, and REG engineers. Our team is looking into a photovoltaic solar system, new micro-hydro, airto-air ground source heat pump, and other energy systems that will make this a sustainable world-class wilderness retreat.

WHETHER IT’S A PLACE TO LEARN, G AT H E R , O R R E C O N N E C T W I T H T H E N AT U R A L W O R L D , T H E C AT T O C E N T E R AT T O K L AT P L AY S A C R U C I A L R O L E I N B O T H T H E C A S T L E C R E E K VA L L E Y A N D T H E L A R G E R C O N S E R VAT I O N M O V E M E N T.

Time for Toklat R ESTO R I N G T H E CAT TO C E N T E R AT TO K L AT As part of our 50th Anniversary "Protecting the Future'' capital campaign, ACES will be restoring our historic wilderness retreat center, the Catto Center at Toklat. The site, a three-acre property surrounded by National Forest, is often compared to Thoreau’s Walden Pond, Leopold’s Shack, or Murie’s Ranch.

Renovating the Catto Center at Toklat will allow us to continue in our tradition of stewardship of the Castle Creek valley long into the future.

The Catto Center offers a direct connection with nature through education, presentations, demonstrations, hikes, research, social gatherings, picnics, and celebrations.

THE SITE, A THREE-ACRE PROPERTY S U R R O U N D E D B Y N AT I O N A L F O R E S T, I S O F T E N CO M PA R E D TO T H O R E AU ’ S WALDEN POND, LEOPOLD’S SHACK, OR MURIE’S RANCH.

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At the Catto Center, your spirit is nourished. Toklat is a place for face-to-face communication, inspiration, and reflection, where we gain the deep experience of rootedness by spending contemplative time in the wild.

H I S TO RY A N D S T E WA R D S H I P What is Toklat? Toklat is an Inuit word that means “headwaters of a glacial valley.” The site was named by Stuart Mace, a founding board member of ACES. Stuart and his wife Isabel built Toklat in 1948 as a wilderness lodge and family home. They began a natural foods restaurant, gathering place, and art gallery - all with an emphasis on the natural values and beauty of the place.

Stuart’s teachings and mentoring drew youth, locals, and visitors from all over the world. As we embark on this 50th Anniversary renovation, ACES will follow the vision put forth by Stuart Mace – his call for a caring, ethical relationship between people and nature.

RIVERDANCE Riverdance is a property located near the Catto Center that was recently donated to ACES. We aim to manage the Riverdance landscape as a hub for inspirational and educational programming on the surrounding national forest. At Riverdance, we will host school-based environmental education classes as well as community programs where all ages can experience the outdoors. We will also be able to lead outdoor experiences for small groups holding retreats, workshops, and meetings at the Catto Center.

FUTURE CONNECTIONS The Catto Center, a place of inspiration and appreciation for wild places, has a special meaning for everyone who visits.

Whether it’s a place to learn, gather, or reconnect with the natural world, the Catto Center plays a crucial role in both the Castle Creek Valley and the larger conservation movement.

With the upcoming renovations, we’re ensuring that the Catto Center will serve this purpose for generations to come.

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Experiences with ACES

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL EVENTS

CONNECTING OUTDOORS IN 2020

Our events do more than bring people together; they are a celebration of those who take action and effect positive change in the world. In 2020, we adapted our events so we could continue connecting with our mission and our community.

Member Picnic Mondays at Hallam Lake

Burlap Dinner at Rock Bottom Ranch

One of our favorite events this year was our Farmer Panel at Rock Bottom Ranch, where we gathered to listen to stories and experiences of our new and returning farmers. We plan to continue this tradition as part of our harvest celebrations in the fall. At RBR, we also co-hosted Roaring Stories with CORE, Writ Large, and Lead with Love for a sold-out third year of storytelling. We hosted six Barn Dinners at Rock Bottom Ranch throughout the summer, a socially distanced version of our Farm to Table Dinners, where we partnered with local restaurants to bring our community together and provide sustainable, healthy produce and meat from RBR. We celebrated our members by hosting Member Picnic Mondays, where guests had the rare opportunity to enjoy the Hallam Lake nature preserve after-hours.

We adopted a similar model for our Fall Colors membership potluck dinner. For an entire week in September, we invited our members to the Catto Center at Toklat, where they could bring picnics and experience fall colors in the Castle Creek Valley.

Our Wild & Scenic Film Festival went online–reaching over 1,000 viewers–more than triple the number of attendees in the past!

While this past year challenged us in unexpected ways, we are grateful to have engaged with our community both online and outdoors. We hope to see you in person soon for one of our upcoming events.

W E S T E R N M E A D O W L A R K AT H A L L A M L A K E

Toklat Membership Picnics

ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ACES’ community programs combine environmental science education with outdoor exploration, transforming the local environment into a community classroom. With the outdoors as our classroom, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to offer hundreds of programs.

Our participants ranged from pre-K through adults during this time.

“ T H E R E ’ S D E F I N I T E LY S O M E M A G I C AT W O R K W I T H YO U R E D U C AT O R S COMBINED WITH THIS SPECIAL P L AC E W E L I V E . I T WA S A M U C H NEEDED BEACON OF HOPE IN T H E S E F R U S T R AT I N G T I M E S F O R C H I L D R E N ." - P A R E N T 2 0 2 0

While group sizes were kept small and advance registration was required, our programs were in increasingly high demand. We offered Morning Birding, Know Your Trees, Bird of Prey programs, Wild Yoga, Sunset Beaver Walks, Farm Tours, and more! We increased the number of our birding outings, providing an outlet for solace, discovery, and connection to the natural world during a time of uncertainty.

ACES Speaker Series give scientists, adventurers, and other experts a platform to share their passions while inspiring, informing, and empowering our attendees.

This winter, we hosted our Naturalist Nights speaker series online, reaching a larger audience than ever before! Topics included "Merging Traditional and Modern Growing Methods for Food Sustainability,” “Colorado’s Record-setting 2020 Fire Season in the Context of the Past 6000 Years,” “Forest Bathing in Your Own Wild Home,” and more. All of the presentations are available on our YouTube channel.

Roaring Stories at Rock Bottom Ranch

The summer was full of the sound of children and educators' curiosity, joy, and discovery in our summer camps. Spending 100% of their time outside, we were grateful to be able to offer children a sense of community, play, friendship building, discovery, and excitement during the pandemic.

Summer Camp at Hallam Lake 14

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER SERIES

Farmer Panel at Rock Bottom Ranch

In 2021, we put our Potbelly Perspectives series on hold, and we are excited to return in 2022 with stories of adventure, endurance, community building, and experiences in the wild. We love to gather together as a community for this speaker series—as well as our recently launched series with Snowmass Village, Wild Perspectives. We hope you join us this winter to gather and listen to experts and locals share their stories.

Our Jessica Catto Dialogue Speaker Series returns in the summer of 2021 with author and award-winning radio host Jennifer Jewell. On August 11, at Rock Bottom Ranch, she will speak about gardening as a powerful agent for positive change. From growing food and providing sanctuary to providing habitat and sequestering carbon, she teaches that gardens are at the intersection of place, culture, and a thriving climate.

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Financials Operating revenue for the 2020 fiscal year totaled $2.63 million, an $833,000 decrease from 2019. This decrease in operating income from the previous year is due primarily to the impact of the pandemic had on reducing participant capacity in our community programs such as our kids camps, naturalist programs, and agriculture program and from canceling our Evening on the Lake fundraiser at Hallam Lake.

Total operating expenses for 2020 were $2.54 million, a $578,000 decrease from 2019. This decrease is a direct response to the pandemic impact on ACES operations and programs. However, ACES did not furlough or lay off staff during the pandemic. Revenue exceeded expenses for ACES’ operating budget by $90,000.

ACES’ 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign raised $7.98 million of its $12.5 million goal in 2020. In 2021, ACES met its capital campaign goal.

Revenue & Other Support Contributions Endowment Membership Income Admission & Tuition Other Income Investment Income Total Revenue

2020 8,782,884 480,000 231,501 529,586 525,991 55,677 10,605,639

2019 6,816,383 455,000 216,854 765,079 730,627 61,822 9,045,765

2018 1,786,257 440,000 212,459 667,935 424,615 11,100 3,542,366

Expenses Educational Expense Management & General Expenses Fundraising Expenses Total Expenses Excess of Revenue over Expenses

2020 1,854,430 367,776 325,917 2,548,123 8,057,516

2019 1,958,548 483,90 516,116 2,958,565 6,087,200

2018 1,973,889 257,384 367,345 2,598,618 943,748

Assets Cash & Cash Equivalents Pledges Receivable (net) Inventory Investments Land, Building & Equipment (net) Total Assets

2020 6,015,971 6,291,986 81,647 5,870,376 10,279,185 13,384,706

2019 5,238,565 4,101,654 22,686 3,818,392 7,313,898 20,495,195

2018 5,227,868 777,642 22,686 609,986 7,680,004 14,318,186

Liabilities Accrued Expenses Note Payable Total Liabilities

2020 229,285 306,026 535,311

2019 218,548 330,309 548,857

2018 104,990 354,058 459,048

Net Assets Without Donor Restrictions Undesignated Invested in Land, Buildings, Equipment (net) With Donor Restrictions Total Net Assets Total Liabilities & Net Assets

2020

2019

2018

4,634,939 9,973,159

5,041,478 6,983,589

735,904 7,325,946

Revenue & Other Support Contributions Endowment Membership Income

Admission & Tuition Other Income Investment Income

13,395,756 7,921,271 28,003,854 19,946,338 28,539,165 20,495,195

5,797,288 13,859,138 14,318,186

The financial statements of ACES were audited by Reese Henry & Company, Inc. A copy of the complete Independent Auditor’s Report and 990 are available on the ACES website.

Expenses

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G R E AT B LU E H E R O N AT H A L L A M L A K E

Educational Expense Management & General Expenses Fundraising Expenses

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Membership Thank you! We would like to express our gratitude to the contributors who generously supported ACES' annual fund, summer benefit, and special projects and programs between the dates of November 1, 2019 and October 31, 2020.

Recognition in the ACES Annual Report is a benefit of the Bighorn Sheep membership level ($300) and above. ACES’ 50th anniversary Protecting the Future campaign gifts are listed separately (see pages 20-21).

Our Donors Chairman’s Circle ($50,000 and above) Anonymous (2) Ann and John Doerr Barbara and Donald Rosenberg Restorer’s Circle ($25,000 - $49,999) Anonymous (2) Jackie and John Bucksbaum Lori and Laurence Fink Melony and Adam Lewis Malott Family Foundation Lisa and Willem Mesdag Laurie Michaels Carrie Walton Penner and Greg Penner Margot and Thomas Pritzker Elisha and Jeff Zander Benefactor ($10,000 - $24,999) Anonymous Aspen Community Foundation Zoë Baird and Bill Budinger Jackie and Mike Bezos Dianna H. Beuttas Revocable Trust Jo and Bill Brandt Ella and Scott Brittingham Carla and John Brozovich City of Aspen Sarah Challinor Jan and Neal Dempsey The Environment Foundation Suzanne Farver and Clint VanZee Kristen and Andrew Firman Nancy Furlotti Kristen and Wally Graham Margot and Richard Happleman Carol and Mike Hundert Bill Hunt Shana and Clint Johnstone Margaret and Daniel Loeb Andrea and Bobby McTamaney David Moray Marcie and Robert Musser David Newberger Ilona and Chad Oppenheim Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund Isa Catto Shaw and Daniel Shaw Tori and Vincent Smith

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Jill Soffer Becky and Chris Steere Rachel and Tony Sherman Katherine Tomford and David Grossman Helen Ward and Walter Obermeyer Tillie Walton Innovator ($5,000 - $9,999) Anonymous Argonautica Lydia and Bill Addy Claudia and Richard Balderston Currie and Thomas Barron Meredith Bell Amy and Gilchrist Berg Annabelle Bond and Ken Hitchner Sarah Broughton and John Rowland Ruth H. Brown Foundation Ruth Carver Megan and Tom Clark Sylvie and Gary Crum Dee and Dave Dillon Fidel Duke Lauren and Ryan Elston Nanette Finger Diane and Alan Franco Patricia Goudvis Margaret and Bill Greenfield Mary and Jim Griffith Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and Andrew Hauptman Lelia and Bill Harriman The William H. and Mattie Wattis Harris Foundation Jamie and Bush Helzberg Annie and Jerry Hosier Reenie Kinney and Scott Hicks Nina Kjellson Rachel and Rick Klausner The Knapp Fund Laffey-McHugh Foundation Jonathan Lewis and Mark Zitelli Shelly and Tony Malkin Laurie and John McBride Leslie and John McQuown Gina and Jerry Murdock Marina and Charles Nitze Ashely and Mike Ramos Betty and Lloyd Schermer Alison Teal and Sam Brown

Advocate ($2,500 - $4,999) Anonymous Bessie Minor Swift Foundation Jess and Bill Budinger Laurel and John Catto Betsy and Jim Chaffin Laurence Cohen Muffy and Andy DiSabatino Marsha and David Dowler Shel and Clayton Erikson Muriel and John Eulich Joan Fabry and Michael Klein Molly and William Gilmore Rachel Glassman Sherri and Dean Goodwin Jo and Bill Guenzel Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Amanda and Ashton Hudson Diane and Jack Kennedy Sheila King Rebecca and Doug Leibinger Mary Schmidt-Libby and Russell Libby Lloyd Family Foundation Pete McBride Diane Moore and Joel Sax Hensley and James Peterson Robert Purvis Susan and Rod Ralls Barbara Reid and David Hyman Emily and Philip Ring Lorranie and Mark Scahpiro Wendy and Mike Sidley William Stolz Linda Strickland Mimi Tabah Lucy Tremols and Galen Bright David Trujillo Cheryl Wyly Steward ($1,000 - $2,499) Anonymous Vanessa and Karl Adam Valerie Anderson and Lester Houtz Erin Ankin Elizabeth Ballinger Cara and Robert Barnes Connie and Buddy Bates Barbara and Bruce Berger Becky and Jeff Berkus Sallie and Thomas Bernard Molly Brooks Chelsea and James Brundridge Carolyn S. Bucksbaum Marla and Lawrence Butler Amy and John Charters Katherin and David Chase Lisa Chiles Janet Clark Charles William Cole Sally R. Cole David Corbin Carol Craig Ann Dahmer and Kevin Geiser Pat and Dorian Damoorgian Monica de Turris Laura Donnelley MaisonMarché Marcy and Leo Edelstein Cinda and Donnelley Erdman Encana Corporation Filipa and Joshua Fink

Donna and Gary Freedman Barbara Fretz Andrew Gibas Dr. Lisa Braun Glazer and Dr. Jeff Glazer Joanna Golden Michelle and Perry Griffith Mark Grotjahn Julie and Jim Hager Joan Harris Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation Clark and Tavia Hunt Kristen and Kyle Johnstone Laura and Mike Kaplan Katherine Kendrick Anne Kerr L’Heureux and Matthew L’Heureux Sheila and Bill Lambert Kristen and David Lambert Gary and Laura Lauder Francine and Tag Liebel Jody Guralnick and Michael Lipkin Darlene and Victor Liss Peter Looram Sam and Peter Louras Elizabeth and Adam Lowenstein Richard Lowery Mary Jo McGuire Barbara and John Patrick McMahon Sarah Meserve Ann Mullins Nancy and Joe Nevin Diane Oshin and Sidney Mandelbaum Nancy Paley Jan and Jim Patterson Donna Peak Jane L. Richards Kathy LeMieux-Rodman and William Rodman Louisa and James Rudolph The Schuster Family Foundation Phyllis and David Scruggs Carole and Gordon Segal Jennifer and Daniel Shorr Gretchen A. Straub Benjamin Swartz Blair Swift Alison and Ben Tiller Anne Tobey Arden and Bob Travers Barbara Trueman Carolyn Workman and Kurt Wacker Ruth and Bob Wade Frank and Tamara Woods Boniface and Alison Zaino Black Bear ($600 - $999) Louise Brainard and Phil Hoversten Bobbi Cunningham and Michael Ortiz Antonia Paepcke Dubrul Elizabeth and George Farish Susan and George Fesus Gina Berko and David Fleisher Nikola Freeman Denise and Andy Goldfarb Karen and John Gray-Krehbiel Jan and Ronald Greenberg Nicholas Groos

Roger Gurrentz Lisa and Bill Guth Morgan Henschke and Matthew Brown Mary and Dan Horn Constance Hoguet Neel and Richard Neel Page Hufty Rusty and John Jaggers Chandra and Jimmie Johnson Kim Master and Noah Lieb Cindy Kahn and Steve Marker Marian Melville Sherry and Gerald Merish Ellen-Jane and Ben Moss Marjory Musgraves and Frank Peters Clarisse Perrette Karl and Holly Peterson Kathryn and Richard Rabinow Laura Sandefer Deborah and John Scott Ellen Valentine Linda and Dennis Vaughn Kay Watson Alison and Jonathan Wente Bighorn Sheep ($300 - $599) Duane and Sherry Abbott Suzanne Atkinson Steve and Janette Barsanti Dawn Barton Amiee White Beazley and Brian Beazley Skip and Donna Behrhorst Sarah Blaine MarySue Bonetti Kate Bostock Karen Brooks Andrea and Chris Bryan Lee and Keith Bryant Tony and Terri Caine Cynthia Calvin and Mac McShane Cinda and Michael Carron Lynn and William Carter Julie Case Lee Ann and Tucker Cheadle Judith and Stan Clauson Pamela and Donald Conover Marcia Corbin Donna Lynn Crown Andy and Brian Davies Carol Donnally Ken and Pam Dunn Hall R. Easton Amy and Doug Throm Carol and Jim Farnsworth Helen Feinberg Peter and Patty Findlay Sara Finkle Floreat Foundation Ruth and Dan Flournoy Edmund Frank Kristina Fraser and Jeffrey Goldstein Larry D. Fredrick and Janet A. Roberts Daryl and Henry Gelender Laurel Gilbert and Bruce Etkin Alyson and Justin Gish Katherine and Shawn Gleason Jane and Allen Grossman

Kim and Mark Hamilton Jody and Andy Hecht Sue Helm Kristen Henry Noelle and Cecil Hernandez Linda Hollomon Karen and Jefferson Hughes Chonnie and Paul Jacobson Kathleen and Warren Jones Denise Jurgens and Kevin Messerschmidt Whitney Justice Nancy and Mitch Kantor Jaqueline Kaplan and Chad Clark Marianne and Richard Kipper Yvonne Klausmann Missy and Chris Klug Dylan Kreizer Chris and Diana Lane Amanda and Justin Leonard Jennifer Levy Gary and Daylene Lichtenwalter Christina von Loeper and David Feinburg Kim Lubel Mirte Mallory and Philip Jeffreys Jolie and Neil Markus Susan and Lawrence Marx Sharon and Thomas McPherron Patricia and James Morris Stephanie Naidoff Mary Ann Neumann Lynn Nichols and Jim Gilchrist Ruth Owens Fonda Paterson Roberta and Samuel Pepkowitz Carol Hood Peterson and Brooke A. Peterson Ali and David Phillips Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo Lesia and John Rehl Susan Wolf and Doug MacLean Janie Rich Munro and Scott Munro Marvin Rosenberg Martha and David Rybak Jay and Linda Sandrich Shereen and Jordan Sarick Lori Scapicchio and Tom Pevny Jennifer Scherer Kirsten and Chad Schmit Susan and Ford Schumann Jerome and Darlene Schwoerer Layne and Michael Shea Rene Sheikh Candace and Daniel Sherman Ryan Sherman Terri and Rich Slivka Wendy and David Smith Sarah and Paul Sohn Debbie and Curt Stovall Clifford and Natasha Stowe Mike and Kit Strang Carol and Jim Swiggett Patsy Tisch Mary Ann and Ray Tittle Elissa Topol and A. Lee Osterman Susan Welsch Laura Werlin Paula Zurcher

ACES Donor Circles ACES' Donor Circles members are knowledgeable, powerful voices for the environment, both in the Roaring Fork Valley and across the nation. Donor Circles members donate $1,200 and above each year, and see their investments make a tangible difference by shaping our future for generations to come.

Donor Circles members enjoy special opportunities to meet with visiting environmental leaders and speakers, as well as receive priority registration to events or programs and invitations to unique events and receptions. To further acknowledge their generosity, Donor Circles members are recognized in ACES’ Annual Report and on our donor wall at ACES' Hallam Lake visitor center.

Donor Circles Private Reception for Gina McCarthy's Jessica Catto Dialogue.

Elizabeth Paepcke Society

L E AV E A L A S T I N G L E G AC Y Many of our supporters choose to leave a gift to ACES in their wills or trusts to protect our environment for future generations. You can, too. When you do, you’ll be playing a key role in sustaining ACES’ mission, expanding its programs, and ensuring its future.

To learn more about planned giving through ACES’ Elizabeth Paepcke Society, please contact Development Director, Christy Mahon at 970.925.5756 or cmahon@aspennature.org.

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Corporate Sponsors

ACES' 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign We are grateful for our community's support of ACES’ 50th Anniversary "Protecting the Future" Capital Campaign. As Elizabeth Paepcke once said, “Many things become possible when people work together towards a common vision.” With the generous support of the individuals and foundations below, we are now being able to implement the goals of our $12.5 million Capital Campaign.

Future projects and programs realized by the campaign embody the spirit of stewardship and environmental ethic that we are trying to cultivate and inspire in our community and beyond. With this campaign, ACES can shape the next fifty years of environmental education and stewardship with interactive new facilities for our visitors, inspirational new programming for youth and adults, and restoration efforts that will protect and preserve our precious habitats and the wildlife that depend on them.

In the next fifty years, ACES will protect the habitats that we depend on, shape the future of environmental science education, influence the environmental movement by connecting people to nature.

Thank you to the donors below who gave generously to ACES' 50th' Anniversary Capital Campaign (as of July 2021).

Our Donors Leadership Gifts (above $250,000) Anonymous (2) Currie and Thomas Barron Carolyn S. Bucksbaum Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum Isa Catto and Daniel Shaw Jan and Neal Dempsey Allison and Warren Kanders Jonathan D. Lewis and Mark Zitelli Melony and Adam Lewis Gina and Jerry Murdock Fidel Duke Malott Family Foundation Penner Family Foundation Margot and Thomas Pritzker $249,999 - $25,000 Anonymous Lydia and Bill Addy Amy and Gilchrist Berg Ella and Scott Brittingham Carl and John Brozovich Michael L. Carricarte Ruth Carver Sarah Challinor Ann Dahmer and Kevin Geiser Helen Hough Feinberg Nancy Furlotti Sherri and Dean Goodwin Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and Andrew Hauptman Carol and Mike Hundert Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation Soledad and Robert Hurst Rusty and John Jaggers Reenie Kinney and Scott Hicks Living Peace Foundation Margaret and Daniel Loeb Laurie and John McBride Marcie and Robert Musser David Newberger Pathfinder Fund Fonda Paterson Hensley and James Peterson Benjamin Pritzker Ashley and Mike Ramos Barbara Reid and David Hyman Barbara and Donald Rosenberg Mary and Pat Scanlan The Schiff Foundation

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Alison Teal and Sam Brown Rob and Melani Walton Foundation Helen Ward and Walter Obermeyer $24,999 - $1,000 Valerie Anderson and Lester Houtz Elizabeth Ballinger Jessamy and Todd Bennett Rebecca and Jeffrey Berkus Sallie and Thomas Bernard Annabelle Bond and Ken Hitchner Althy and Randy Brimm Pam Joseph and Robert Brinker Ruthie Brown Cynthia Calvin and Mac MacShane Carlson Vineyards Rona and Jeff Citrin Charles William Cole Sally R. Cole Marcia Corbin Sylvie and Gary Crum Patricia and Dorian Damoorgian Jan and Neal Dempsey Chelsea and Chace Dillon Andrew Docken Marsha and David Dowler Wally and Terry Durham Marcy and Leo Edelstein Lauren and Ryan Elston Clayton and Shel Erikson Sandra Eskin Suzanne Farver and Clint Van Zee Susan and George Fesus Ruth and Dan Flournoy Margaret and Bill Greenfield Michelle and Perry Griffith Jody Guralnick and Michael Lipkin Leelee and Bill Harriman Susan Helm Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Morgan Henschke and Matthew Brown Denise Ann Jurgens and Kevin Messerschmidt Sandy and George Kahle Marianne and Richard Kipper Joan Fabry and Michael Klein Carol and Thomas Kurt Linda Lay Jonathan and Barbara Lee Jim Lehmann Leslie Lamont and Lance Luckett

Kathryn Master and Noah Lieb Anne Welsh McNulty Nancy Meinig Diane Moore and Joel Sax Constance Hoguet Neel and Richard Neel Nancy and Joe Nevin Ann and William Nitze Ruth Owens The Pathfinder Fund Gary Plumley Robert Purvis Susan and Rod Ralls Sheri Sanzone and Chris Bendon Lorranie and Mark Schapiro Betty and Lloyd Schermer Rachel and Tony Sherman Jill St. John and Robert J. Wagner William Stolz Linda Strickland Nancy Adams Sweet Brittany and Colter Van Domelen Linda Vidal Tillie Walton Becky and Craig Ward Alison and Boniface Zaino Under $1,000 Catherine and Gregg Adams Dawn Barton Carol Bayens Amy Behrhorst Leslie and Jack Blanton Kimberly and Peterson Bock Liz and John Bokram Toni Bradford The Brady Foundation Karen Brooks Nancy and Willard Brown Nancy Burton Lynne and Gary Caletti Tony Cannistra Nancy Carlisle Donna and Steve Chase Judith and Stan Clauson Cynthia and Theodore Colebrook Brandon Cooper David Corbin Karina Creamer Bobbi Cunningham and Michael Ortiz Jeanette Darnauer and Rob Merritt

Margaret Noel Daughtery and William von Stocken Tony Derosier Hannah Dietsch Steven Dunn Marianne Farrell and Dierdre Veneables Lynne Feigenbaum and Steve Wolff Carolyn Fields Illene and Burt Follman Anne and Phil Freedman Leslie and Robert Freimuth Orly Friedman Lacy and Ernie Fyrwald Liz Garfield Sara Garton Jessica Herzstein and Elliot Gerson Alyson and Justin Gish Georgie Gleason Lindsay and Thomas Gorman Catherine Green Jim Hallock Kim and Mark Hamilton Margaret and Adam Hancock Elizabeth and Blake Hansen Ruth Harris Rebecca Hellbaum and Fredric Hartmeister Kristen Henry Preston H. Hill Amy and Ryan Honey Louisa Brainard Hoversten and Phil Hoversten Janis and George Huggins Karen and Jefferson Hughes Janet A. Johnson Whitney Justice Marianne and R. Mark Keating Julie and Michael Kennedy Mary Jo Kimbrough and James D. Harrison Valarie Kinkade and Kevin Grant Maureen Kinney and Scott Hicks Eileen and Jeffrey Knapp Joel Kolen Jim Kravitz Anna Larson Erika and Robert Leavitt Scottie and Tom Leddy Betsey and Dale Leonard Allen Levantin Scott Lindenau

Our corporate sponsors are making our community a more sustainable place. These donors contributed to ACES and/ or sponsored an ACES event between November 1, 2019 and October 31, 2020.

Visionary ($10,000 and above) Alpine Bank The Aspen Times / Post Independent Climate Champion ($5,000 – $9,999) Black Diamond / Mountain Khakis Craig Ward | Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s Forum Phi FirstBank Monkey House Carbondale Obermeyer Wood Investment Counsel Pioneer ($2,500 – $4,999) Aspen Sports/Vail Resorts Bethel Party Rentals Compass | Doug Leibinger Lead with Love Reese Henry and Company, Inc. Rotary Club of Aspen Trailblazer ($1,000 – $2,499) Aspen Daily News Aspen Sojourner Chris Klug Properties The Gant Gorsuch

Darlene and Victor Liss Martha Luttrell Julie and Robert Maclean Dianne and Timothy Madsen Clayton Maebius Christy and Ted Mahon Sarah Manning Julia S. Marshall Joe McGuire and Matthew Tenzin Shelley and John McKendry Robert and Karen Medsger Cathy and Scott Miller Mike Mitchell Elsa Mitchell Beth and Josh Mondry Beth Montgomery Mary and Roger Moyer Mary Lynn and Alexander Munro Robert Murphy John Neil Jennifer Oliver Diane Oshin and Sidney Mandelbaum Samantha and J.C. Pace Audrey and Allan Parrott Margaret Pedersen and Robert Millette Barbara and Steven Percy Nancy Peterson Julie Comins Pickrell and Greg Pickrell Missy and Steve Prudden Kiki Raj Seia Rassenti Deborah Reamer and Andrew Clare Garrett Reuss Marie-Chantal Reveal Sarah Reynolds and Jason Lasser Jane L. Richards Howard and Beverly Robinson

Harriman Construction, inc.

Ken Ransford, P.C. Margerum Wine Company Roaring Fork Birds Snowmass Village Rotary Club Tiedemann Advisors Wealth Management Reese Henry and Company, Inc. Woody Creek Distillers Partner ($500 – $999) Bristlecone Mountain Sports Gran Farnum Olive and West Photography Patagonia Snowmass Ute Mountaineer Supporter ($300 – $499) Corbeaux, Ltd. Land and Shelter Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners Schmueser Gordon Meyer Stan Clauson Associates Valley Settlement

Faye and Joe Rosenbaum Louisa and James Rudolph Jacqueline Russell Heather and Ned Ryerson Lynn and Rick Sauer Kimbo Brown-Schirato and Jason Schirato Judith J. Schramm Sheryl Schreiber Susan and Ford Schumann Dr. Brian and Lisa Shaw Dawn Shepard and Randy Gold Amanda Simmons Adirenne and Robert Sirkus Jason and Sarah Smith Amy and Scott Spelker Kim Stacey John Starr Sandy and Stephen Stay Bruce Stevens Steve Stunda Shelley Supplee Elaine and Severin Swanson Lois and Doug Teegarden Diana Tomback and Jim Knowles Marguerite Villasanta Ruth and Bob Wade Donna and Tom Ward Steve and Nancy Washko Jerome P. Webster Karl Weis Laura Werlin Susan Wolf and Doug MacLean Susan Wrubel Nina Zale

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Administrative Staff

Where We Work

Chris Lane Chief Executive Officer

Andrea Aust Education Director

Grayson Bauer Hallam Lake Site & Programs Coordinator

Mariah Foley Agriculture Manager

Christina Green Development Coordinator

Jim Kravitz Naturalist Programs Director

Christy Mahon Development Director

Adam McCurdy Climate & Forest Programs Director

Phebe Meyers Community Programs Senior Manager

Molly O'Leary Events Manager

Jason Smith Rock Bottom Ranch Director

Emily Taylor Marketing Director

Emily Williams Field Programs Coordinator

Kitty Winograd RBR Community Programs Coordinator

Kamille Winslow School Programs Manager

Trustees Daniel Shaw, Chair Sam Brown Neal Dempsey Andy Docken Ryan Elston, Vice Chair Mark Hamilton Reenie Kinney Leslie Lamont Kim Master Diane Moore Gina Murdock

Legacy Council Jerry Murdock Robert Musser Walter Obermeyer, Treasurer Ben Pritzker Barbara Rosenberg Sheri Sanzone Ashley Schiff Ramos Rachel Sherman, Secretary Maile Spung, Officer Colter Van Domelen

Annual report photos courtesy of Tamara Susa Photography, Peter Feinzig, Chris Cohen Photography, Olive & West Photography, Aspen Historical Society, and ACES staff.

Architectural renderings by Stan Clauson Associates.

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Margot and Tom Pritzker, Chairs Amy and Gilchrist Berg Jackie and John Bucksbaum Zoë Baird and Bill Budinger Ann and John Doerr Lori and Larry Fink Allison and Warren Kanders Melony and Adam Lewis

ASPEN AREA American Lake Aspen Camp for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Aspen Community School Aspen Country Day Aspen Elementary School Aspen High School Aspen Meadows Trail Aspen Middle School Aspen Mountain Buttermilk Mountain Castle Creek Valley Cathedral Lake Catto Center at Toklat The Collective Snowmass Crater Lake Early Learning Center East of Aspen Ashcroft Ghost Town Hallam Lake Hunter Creek Maroon Creek Trail Maroon Lake Mt. Tots Preschool North Star Nature Preserve Red Butte Ritz Carlton Club Snowmass Nature Trail Snowmass Rabbit Run The Cottage Preschool U.S. Forest Service Office Weller Lake Wildwood

B A S A LT A R E A Basalt Elementary School Basalt High School Basalt Middle School Blue Lake Preschool Cornerstone Christian Academy Glassier Open Space Rock Bottom Ranch Spring Creek Woods Easement CARBONDALE AREA Carbondale Community School Carbondale Middle School Colorado Mountain College Colorado Rocky Mountain School Crystal River Elementary School Roaring Fork High School Ross Montessori School Waldorf School of Roaring Fork Valley EAGLE AREA Brush Creek Elementary School GLENWOOD SPRINGS AREA Glenwood Springs Elementary School Glenwood Springs High School Glenwood Springs Middle School Riverview School Saint Stephen’s School Skylark School Sopris Elementary School St. Stephen’s School Sunlight Ski Area Two Rivers Community School Yampah High School

Partners

MARBLE AREA Marble Charter School N O R T H F O R K VA L L E Y A R E A North Fork Montessori Paonia Elementary School RIFLE/NEW CASTLE AREA Cactus Valley Elementary School Coal Ridge High School Elk Creek Elementary School Graham Mesa Elementary School Kathryn Senor Elementary School Rifle Middle School Riverside Middle School Wamsley Elementary School OTHER Colorado Parks & Wildlife (Denver) Denver University Great Sand Dunes National Park Logan School Meeker High School Mesa County Mount Princeton Ridgway State Park Sangre de Cristo Mountains

ACCESS Roaring Fork Adams State College AJAX Sleepaway Anderson Ranch Arts Center The Art Base Ashcroft Ski Touring Aspen Art Museum Aspen Community Foundation Aspen Education Foundation Aspen Elementary School Aspen Fire Department Aspen Global Change Institute Aspen Historical Society The Aspen Institute Aspen Public Radio Aspen School District Aspen Skiing Company Aspen Valley Land Trust Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club Basalt Education Foundation Cactus Valley Elementary School Cap K Ranch Citizens Climate Lobby City of Aspen City of Aspen Parks & Open Space City of Aspen Environmental Health Clean Rivers Initiative CO Alliance for Environmental Education CO Mountain College CO Natural Heritage Program CO Parks and Wildlife CO State Forest Service CO State University Community Office for Resource Efficiency CU Succeed Program East West Hospitality EverGreen ZeroWaste Fat City Farmers The Forest Conservancy Garfield County Outdoors Grassroots TV Great Outdoors Colorado Holy Cross Energy Independence Pass Foundation Limelight Hotel The Little Nell The Nature Conservancy Pitkin County Pitkin County Healthy Rivers & Streams Pitkin County Open Space & Trails Protect Our Winters Ritz Carlton Club Roaring Fork Anglers Roaring Fork Audubon Roaring Fork Conservancy Roaring Fork High School Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers Roaring Fork Transit Authority Rotary Club of Aspen Snowmass Tourism Town of Snowmass Village U.S. Forest Service U.S.F.S. White River National Forest University of Colorado Upper CO River Interagency Fire Management Unit WE–cycle Western Colorado University Wilderness Workshop

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2020 A T

A GLANCE

*In the 2020 calendar year unless otherwise specified

ACES A L L- A R O U N D

E D U C AT I O N P R O G R A M S *in the 2020-2021 school year unless otherwise specified

1,600

3,146

99% Percentage of ACES classes at Aspen Elementary School held outside in order to avoid potential for quarantine

Students received regular environmental education in the classroom

93

four

1

Partner schools where ACES taught full-time

New partner school: Kathryn Senor Elementary

Students ACES has taught in the RE-2 School District over the last 3 years (see page 4-5 for more info!)

100%

1968

Year ACES was founded

37 million Data points used to create the Forest Health Index (foresthealthindex.org)

440 Species identified at Hallam Lake in our Bioblitz in 2019 and published in our 2020 book “The Hidden Life Around Us”

625,357 Acres of Colorado burned in 2020 wildfires

Percentage of community programs and events offered fully outside

Miles guided by ACES Naturalists

#1 Rating in the “Best of 2020” magazine by The Aspen Times in the non-profit category.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

12,000 forty six

Hours that kids spent outside during summer camp

Summer camps offered

$5,600 Dollars offered in scholarships

22 140

Species of birds spotted in our birding programs (summer 2020)

Virtual Community Nature Challenges (spring 2020)

453

23

415 Virtual attendees of our four virtual Naturalist Nights speaker series

802

F O R E S T & C L I M AT E PROGRAMS

24

Number of ACES members in 2020

Students from Basalt Elementary and Crystal River Elementary participated in ACES’ After School Club (in person) in Fall 2020 in nearby parks

2,878

N AT U R A L I S T P R O G R A M S & T O U R S

Individuals who enjoyed our daily or weekly community programs (summer 2020)

344 Birders who participated in our birding outings (summer 2020)

People ACES Naturalists dissuaded from hiking down Aspen Mountain

236 Species of Aspen area flowering plants identified by ACES Naturalists on tours in 2020

Naturalists trained by ACES since 1987

100%

thirty-four

Percentage of ACES Naturalists who wore masks as part of their uniforms

Number of times in 2021 ACES Naturalists identified the “beautiful black, white, and blue bird with the long tail” for guests (Magpie!)

R E G E N E R A T I V E A G R I C U LT U R E A T ROCK BOTTOM RANCH

99,215

18,032

Eggs laid

Average number of steps per day per team member

seventy

Varieties of vegetables grown

40 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares sold in our first year of the program

32

Lambs born

2,042 Animals on the farm

274 Number of live broilers (meat chickens) sold to 58 families

5,128 Number of food transactions (sales)

25