Lanesborough Adventure Park Planners Win Environmental Honors
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The company looking to build an aerial adventure park off Brodie Mountain Road has reeled in an international honor for being among the best companies for the environment.
The nonprofit B Lab has scored Feronia Forests LLC among the top B Corporations in environmental performances.
Feronia, which focuses on sustainable forestry practices, healthy trees and environmentally friendly uses of forestland, was listed among the top 10 percent of micro-enterprises in the world related to environmental impact.
The more than 750 corporations that were scored span 60 industries and 25 countries. Other B Corporations honored for their environmental impact include Method Products, New Belgium Brewing Co., Patagonia and Seventh Generation.
"We are deeply honored to be listed for our environmental impact among such giants as Seventh Generation and Patagonia, and thank B Lab for all its hard work. We also wish to thank all of our local community partners that made our success possible," said Paolo Cugnasca, Feronia Forests' chief executive officer.
Feronia was recently designated as a B Corporation after filing for the distinction last June. The B Corporation designation has been adopted by Massachusetts and is for companies that meet standards for overall social and environmental performance.
The honor comes partly for the company's plans for the adventure park in Lanesborough, which they have now titled RambleWild. The company will be filing for a building permit in June after the town voted in February to modify its zoning laws to accommodate the park.
The plans include utilizing seven acres of forestland near the Brodie Wind Project for an aerial adventure park that will include programming for ecological education for students.
The company has partnered with Tree-Mendous to build the ropes course with no impact on the trees — the platforms, made of native wood, will be installed without nailing or screwing into the trees or using trucks within the forest.
Not only will the park become a place for education and activity for the community but the process protects the land from being harvested for timber.
One of the Brodie Wind turbines will provide power and the company is considering installing solar panels for additional power. In total, the company aims to keep environmental impacts to a minimum, and it was that focus which earned the attention of the independent nonprofit B Lab.
"When you become a B Corporation, you have to be able to prove that you are doing what you are doing," Cugnasca said. "Recognition is always good. Someone independent has looked at what we are doing and likes it."
B Lab's consideration included measuring the company's environmentally preferable products, services and practices.
Also honored for being in the top 10 percent were Mas Ambiente, an Argentinian soap company, Namaste Solar and New Leaf Paper.
B Lab as already recognized 67 companies for their overall impact and for environmental impact and in the future will honoring those "best for the community" and "best for workers."
Tags: adventure park, awards, environment, forestry,
