Vail Resorts announced in a news release Tuesday, Aug. 24, that it has contributed $1.5 million in the past year to the National Forest Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service.

Vail Resorts officials said in the release that the foundation and the White River National Forest are working with advisory groups in Summit and Eagle counties to set community-based forest stewardship priorities with the money and invest in local projects and programs that will enhance the White River National Forest.

Vail Resorts has been a contributing partner of the Forest’s Ski Conservation Fund since 2006. The fund is a donation matching program that encourages Vail Resorts visitors to make donations that help protect the recreation and ecosystem of the local forests.

The release noted that with the monetary contributions, the fund has been elevated to a level that will allow more expansive projects and programs to be considered for support and implementation.

Beth Howard, vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain, said in the statement that the initial projects the local advisory groups have chosen for 2021-22 will create sustainable recreation opportunities.

Projects in White River National Forest to be supported by Vail Resorts this year and next include the Arctic-Placer Trail construction, which is a new multiuse trail connecting the town of Silverthorne with Eagles Nest Wilderness Area.

The Dillon Reservoir Bear Box installation of campground infrastructure improvements is also on the list of projects, which is meant to address wildlife concerns and decrease negative human-wildlife interactions. The construction of Mill Creek Trail, coming to Vail in 2022, is intended to add capacity to the area’s heavily-used trail system.

The release added that additional projects recommended for funding will be announced in late 2021.

To learn more about the Ski Conservation Fund, visit NationalForests.org/whiteriverscf.