Newest U.S. Eco-lodge Set to Open in Cameron June 1

The Lodge at Sun Ranch offers conservation-minded luxury and adventure

Cameron, Montana – April 10, 2008 –The Lodge at Sun Ranch, the newest U.S. eco-lodge, will open June 1, 2008, announced the property’s General Manager Lara Morris. Accommodating a mere 16 people at capacity, the intimate luxury lodge provides pampered seclusion at the heart of the 26,000-acre Sun Ranch sustainable ranching operation. The lodge offers a unique mix of exceptional service, chef-prepared locally and organically-sourced gourmet meals and guided backcountry adventure with serious environmental preservation practices and green education.

An eco-savvy remodel of the ranch's main house,The Lodge at Sun Ranch offers accommodation in six guest rooms and suites in the 10,000-square-foot main building and two freestanding cabins. "It was a challenge to remodel the main house into an eco-lodge but our construction crew persevered to create an environmentally friendly and beautiful place," says Morris. "The lodge remodel used many reclaimed and green materials and new energy saving improvements. In addition, we were able to recycle two cabins by moving them to the new location."

The Lodge at Sun Ranch’s eco-friendly features include reduced water use through installation of flow-restricted fixtures; reuse of "gray water" for plants; reclaimed and non-toxic materials for new construction including low-VOC paints and sealants; high-efficiency appliances and utilities including hot water, HVAC, smart thermostats and electrical, and Energy Star-rated fixtures; and ongoing alternative energy supply plan research, including placement of a wind anemometer along transmission lines for data collection. In addition, construction on The Lodge at Sun Ranch recycled all usable lumber from demolition (about 75 percent), donating bath fixtures to families in need; re-milling flooring for custom trim & furniture; repurposing original patio stone for new landscaping and elevation retaining; recycling all copper from electrical and plumbing demolition; and on-site quarrying for road and parking lot materials.

The new lodge will educate guests on ecotourism and eco-ranching through a guest orientation designed to encourage participation in basic conservation practices. A special guided "Green Tour" of the ranch also is available, and even the horseback riding program is green—with conscious attention to trails and erosion as well as an unusual pilot program that "recycles" prisoner-trained wild horses as guest mounts. As an additional measure to help offset carbon emissions, The Lodge at Sun Ranch participates in the Trees for Travel program, which plants 10 trees per guest in the Amazon.

For its new dining room, The Lodge at Sun Ranch sources Montana’s finest ingredients—small-herd, grass-fed beef and naturally raised pork, lamb and poultry. The staff has forged relationships with the area’s organic farmers to fill the lodge pantry with fresh and flavorful vegetables and fruit—resulting in a menu the lodge calls "sustainable Western bistro cuisine."

The Lodge at Sun Ranch and the Sun Ranch 1,500-head holistic ranch operation, along with the nonprofit Sun Ranch Institute, are part of the Sun Ranch Group, a fully sustainable "conservation enterprise" built around environmentally credible practices in real estate, agriculture and recreation. Sun Ranch Group also includes the Sun Ranch Settlement, a minimal residential real estate community; Sun Ranch Construction, which oversees construction of homes using green building techniques and materials; and Sun Ranch Group Conservation and Consulting Service, which helps other land owners and businesses employ Sun Ranch Group’s innovative market-driven conservation business model. For additional information on The Lodge at Sun Ranch, visit www.sunranchlodge.com or call 888-674-3030.

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