UN Mountain Partnership Coordinator, Doug McGuire, visits AIMF

March 13, 2011—Aspen, CO— On March 10-11, 2011, the Coordinator of the United Nations Mountain Partnership Secretariat, Douglas McGuire, visited Aspen and Basalt as AIMF’s guest. Mr. McGuire was in Orem, Utah attending the Women of the Mountains conference (see adjacent News article), and was pleased to accept AIMF’s invitation to visit Aspen and Basalt, which were inducted into the Mountain Partnership membership in 2010.

During his brief stay, AIFM arranged a walking tour of Basalt and a meeting with the Town planning director, Susan Philip, on the afternoon of the 10th. On the 11th, AIMF scheduled a full day of touring Aspen and meetings for Mr. McGuire. The day’s agenda included tours of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies and the Aspen Institute, a meeting with For the Forest Executive Director, John Bennett, a luncheon at the Aspen Mountain Club with the White River National Forest Supervisor, John Fitzwilliams, and meetings with Aspen Skiing Company Vice Presidents Auden Schendler, Dave Perry, and Rich Burkley, Sarah Reynolds, and Julie Thyson of the Aspen Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Mick Ireland, Council Member Torre, Special Counsel to the City, Jim True, and City Manager Steve Barwick.

The day was capped off with a dinner reception in Mr. McGuire’s honor hosted by Holly Leuders and Dick Spizzirri. Mr. McGuire was quite impressed by the hospitality extended to him, and by the extraordinary resources and institutional capacities in the Roaring Fork Valley that are devoted to sustainable mountain development.