SELKIRK, New York, STOWE, Vermont — Spruce Peak at Stowe, Stowe Mountain Resort’s new base village, has earned the Audubon Planning Award from Audubon International, a non-profit environmental organization headquartered in New York State.

Members of Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program are eligible for the award, which recognizes sustainable comprehensive planning, and is an intermediate milestone en route to earning rigorous designation as a Certified Audubon Sustainable Community. Spruce Peak first joined the Sustainable Communities Program in early 2006, and last year became the first mountain resort in the nation to earn the Audubon Green Community Award.

“Stowe Mountain Resort remains committed to sustainable development, as our Spruce Peak projects continue into the future,” stated Rob Apple, Stowe Mountain Resort’s Planning Director. “We are honored to receive this award which allows us to measure our progress,” Apple said.

Spruce Peak’s master plan was qualitatively evaluated against Audubon International’s Principles for Sustainable Resource Management, and found to be highly compatible with Audubon International and Stowe Mountain Resort’s shared vision for a sustainable future at the resort. In addition, Spruce Peak and Audubon International undertook a collaborative effort of selecting a comprehensive set of Sustainability Indicators, discrete performance-based measures that Audubon International will use to evaluate Spruce Peak’s attainment of certification.

“Spruce Peak’s master plan lays a solid foundation for environmental protection, social awareness, and a commitment to sustainability,” says Peter Bronski, Manager of the Sustainable Communities Program. “Just as importantly, the Sustainability Indicators will rigorously measure the resort’s performance across a broad range of focus areas. We’re marrying theoretical strategies with the implementation of actual policies and practices, and then closing the loop by measuring performance to make sure that our goals are being achieved. That type of accountability is largely unprecedented in the mountain resort industry, and Spruce Peak is truly positioning itself to emerge as a leader in the realm of sustainability.”

About Audubon International
Audubon International is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 environmental education organization dedicated to educating, assisting and inspiring millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife and natural resources around them. www.auduboninternational.org

About Stowe Mountain Resort
Stowe Mountain Resort, a member company of American International Group (AIG), is enjoying a dramatic resurgence, fueled by a 400 million dollar resort-wide revitalization project centered on Spruce Peak at Stowe. Enhancements to the ski area encompass legendary Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, unquestionably the most authentic alpine skiing and snowboarding terrain in the east. For over one hundred years, Mount Mansfield and the quintessentially New England village of Stowe have attracted the world’s most discerning travelers, who have cherished the beauty and mystique of its natural surroundings and timeless amenities. www.stowe.com

About Spruce Peak at Stowe
Spruce Peak at Stowe, which is being developed by AIG Global Real Estate, is a new slope-side community that is well underway at the base of Spruce Peak and Mt. Mansfield in Stowe, Vermont. The intimate alpine neighborhood will boast enviable homes for purchase, a world-class spa and wellness center, an 18-hole golf course, performing arts center, dining and retail esplanade, swimming pool, ice skating rink and a new luxury hotel, Stowe Mountain Lodge, which will be the centerpiece of the community.

Of the more than 2,000 acres of land at Spruce Peak at Stowe, only 35 will be used for development, demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship while creating year-round recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to Stowe. www.sprucepeak.com

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