Rochester/Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance (RASTA) is a member of the Vermont Backcountry Alliance (VTBC)—a program of the Catamount Trail Association and a growing voice for Vermont’s evolving backcountry skiing and riding community. The Vermont Backcountry Alliance recently held the fifth annual Backcountry Forum in Rochester, VT. 

The following clip shows RASTA organizers and volunteers hard at work at Brandon Gap, and features highlights from the Backcountry Forum, of which SE Group was a sponsor. Additionally, our own Tom Hand and Drew Pollak-Bruce were in attendance to present some of the metrics and data out of last years trail counts on the CTA.  The presentation stirred up a lot of interest from the public, as well as partners.  SE Group is excited to be working to develop this recreational resource with such a passionate community. 

SE Group has been working with Mount Spokane since 2006 to develop an action plan to expand their operations. This project exemplifies the power of collaboration and teamwork to identify solutions when navigating a variety of interests and stakeholders. In the following clip Brad McQuarrie, General Manager of Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, speaks about exciting improvements to the ski area and how SE Group’s long-term collaboration was instrumental in developing the vision, framework, and plan to bring these objectives to fruition.

Watch as SE Group’s Tom Hand and Drew Pollak-Bruce continue the ongoing collaboration with the CTA setting counters on Section 22 of the trail between Bolton Valley Resort and Trapp Family Lodge. This is a heavily used section of trail that also leads to several nice backcountry ski zones. We placed counters above the trailheads at each end, as well as at the trail midpoint. We are looking forward to seeing the usage numbers in the spring!

A recent article in Idaho Mountain Express highlighted SE Group’s Mark Kane and his presentation at Sun Valley Economic Development’s annual Economic Summit held October 31. Mark’s presentation focused on current trends in mountain resort communities and four key factors that will likely shape their future. Read the article here.

Associate Planner, Drew Pollak-Bruce recently spoke on Across the Fence, the longest running daily farm and home show in the country, about the Vermont Town Forest Project. SE Group is consulting with 10 communities to support the development of town forest recreation and stewardship plans. As part of The Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program—a joint initiative of Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) and UVM Extension—The Vermont Town Forest Recreation Planning Community Assistance Program provides technical community planning assistance of a value of up to $10,000 per town.  This program assists Vermont communities interested in addressing issues and opportunities in the use and stewardship of their town forest, town forest recreation, and stewardship plans. Towns across the state of Vermont have applied to participate in the program and initial “summits” are slated to begin this month. Watch and learn more!

This project is one of five receiving this award from the American Public Works Association (APWA). The APWA Public Works Projects of the Year awards are presented annually to promote excellence in the management and administration of public works projects by recognizing the alliance between the managing agency, the consultant, and the contractor, who, working together, complete public works projects.

After the complex was damaged as a result of flooding from Tropical Storm Irene, the redesign and restoration efforts focused on reducing flood risk, restoring public space, and celebrating the historic qualities of the campus.

The project team, which includes the State of Vermont, PC Construction, Freeman French Freeman, Goody Clancy Architects, and SE Group, will collectively be presented the award in late August.

The CPRP is granted to individuals employed in the recreation, park resources and leisure services professions who meet the eligibility requirements—including a combination of higher education and/or work experience—and who successfully complete the national CPRP examination. The examination tests knowledge in all aspects of general administration, programming, and operations management for parks and recreation. This hard-earned achievement exemplifies Drew’s dedication and commitment as an industry leader in the recreation and tourism field.

The NRPA is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation, and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org.

The Vermont Green Building Network’s (VGBN) annual Green Building Gala was held this past March in Burlington. SE Group was in attendance to receive the 2016 Going Green Commercial Building Award for The Vermont Land Trust Headquarters project. SE Group, as project landscape architect, worked in collaboration with the Vermont Land Trust, Maclay Architects, and Marsh Engineering to design a renovation and addition of the headquarters building in Montpelier. The design focused on preserving the building’s historic character, ensuring occupant health, and promoting energy conservation. This building now uses about 35% of the average energy of other commercial buildings in New England (86 kBtu/sf/yr). 

The VGBN’s Greenest Building Awards are a statewide competition that honor residential and commercial buildings that meet the highest standard of demonstrated building energy performance. For more information please visit http://www.vtgreenbuildingnetwork.org/