Commitment to Conservation

Overnight guests of Lied Lodge are given the option of reusing bed linens and bath towels during their stay. This practical program saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and significantly reduces energy costs each year.

The cleansers and laundry products used by our housekeeping staff are Green Seal certified, contributing to a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment. These products contain no toxic chemicals, ozone-depleting compounds, hazardous waste characteristics, phosphates, or carcinogens.

Recycling bins and systems are found throughout Lied Lodge, including in guest rooms, offices, public areas, and meeting rooms.

Apples, cider, herbs, and a variety of vegetables grown on Arbor Day Farm are incorporated into menu items at Timbers, providing the freshest options for our guests and greatly reducing the miles traveled by our food items. Other items like meat, cheese, and seasonal produce are sourced locally whenever possible.

Risers and podiums in Lied Lodge’s conference rooms are made from a unique building material, Environ. This non-toxic product is made from a mixture of recycled newspapers and soy flour. The conference table pads are made from Rhinolin®, a patented, completely biodegradable product made from all-natural materials. Conference attendees have the option of leaving their name badges behind for reuse or recycling. Whenever possible, water and food service items are served from reusable dishes instead of disposable alternatives.

Lied Lodge serves fair trade, shade-grown Arbor Day Foundation Coffee, part of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Rain Forest Rescue® program. The shade-grown coffee beans mature slowly under the canopy of the Maya Rain Forest. Our support goes to the indigenous farmers to help protect their rain forest lands and provide a better life for their families.

Lied Lodge guest rooms offer a smoke-free environment.

The Arbor Day Foundation partners with many environmentally conscious organizations including The Audubon Society, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Milliken, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and Toyota.

More than 50 species of trees and shrubs are showcased in the Lied Lodge Parking Lot Arboretum enhancing education, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat.

Arbor Day Farm has a large collection of antique apple trees that offers a glimpse into the past of early apple cultivation. The orchard also employs an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) production approach in dealing with pests and disease. This includes scouting, trapping, promotion of beneficial insects, disease resistant varieties, and timed applications of pesticides.

Windbreaks slow the wind, help retain moisture, protect valuable topsoil, and serve as corridors for wildlife. Farmstead and field windbreaks are both visible demonstrations at Arbor Day Farm.

The nation’s second-largest hazelnut research field is located on nine acres of gently sloping land just north of Lied Lodge. This unique woody perennial field is showing the way to better food production, environmental health, and innovative agro-forestry practices. As a founding member of the Hybrid Hazelnut Consortium, we have worked to improve the genetics of this unique plant.  We have recently planted another hazelnut orchard featuring nuts with improved genetics. We see this as a first step towards commercialization in the near future.

This natural snow fence of woody florals provides year-round wind protection, saves money on snow removal, and supplies food and cover for wildlife. It incorporates small fruit crops, decorative woody florals (like cardinal dogwood and pussy willow), and hazelnuts. These original plantings can now be viewed in the conservation fields west of Lied Lodge along the Conservation Trail.

Located directly west of Lied Lodge, Harris Prairie is a high-diversity restoration featuring more than 80 plant species grown from seed collected by hand from nearby sources. The restored biodiverse landscape supports countless pollinator and animal species. It also helps improve water quality by slowing runoff, preventing erosion, and storing carbon.