Tue, Dec 10 2013 2:43 pm | Comments
HOMEWOOD, Calif. (December 10, 2013) JMA Ventures, LLC, is pleased to announce that the company has won the 2013 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for its exceptional work on watershed management at JMA-owned Homewood Mountain Resort, renowned for spectacular skiing and snowboarding and unrivaled views of Lake Tahoe. Because of JMA’s innovative approach to handling erosion at Homewood Mountain Resort, nearly five miles of unpaved on-mountain roads have been removed and the land has been restored. This has resulted in a 41 percent reduction in the amount of sediment that runs off the mountain into Lake Tahoe, contributing significantly to restoring the lake’s famed clarity.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized for our sensitivity to the environment and for our work at Homewood Mountain Resort. We are an integral part of the West Shore community and have a genuine commitment to maintaining our natural resources so our grandchildren and future generations can enjoy them as much as we do,” said Art Chapman, founder of JMA.
Located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, Homewood Mountain Resort and its watershed comprise the largest privately-owned property within the Lake Tahoe Basin area. Homewood was founded in 1961, and included a number of logging and fire roads that had been developed on the mountain. Those roads eventually created an erosion problem. As part of an aggressive watershed improvement program that began in 2006, JMA took the old roads out of service and replanted significant parts of the mountain. The team at Integrated Environmental Restoration Services, the land restoration consulting firm that has partnered with JMA Ventures, then created a Watershed Management Guidebook based on all of the work at Homewood, providing tools and identifying best practices for other Lake Tahoe area land managers and ski industry operators.
“The award recognizes the creative solutions and transformative results that Californians are achieving on some of our most significant environmental challenges,” said Matt Rodriquez, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “Their successful approaches demonstrate that we can create a sustainable environment while also promoting a vibrant economy.”
With a proven track record of leadership, protection of natural resources and sensitivity to the environment, JMA Ventures has led the way to a resolution with Earth Justice, which had brought a lawsuit against JMA to halt further renovations of Homewood on behalf of Friends of the West Shore and The Tahoe Area Sierra Club. As a result of JMA’s thoughtful negotiations, that lawsuit is expected to be settled soon.
JMA’s industry-leading approach to watershed management is part of its overall environmental mission at Homewood. In addition to a recycling program and multiple alternative transportation initiatives, future development at Homewood is designed to the LEED for Neighborhood Development Gold certification standard, one of the highest categories offered by the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Neighborhood Development Program.
“We hope to break ground on the exciting redevelopment of Homewood Mountain Resort in 2015 and we look forward to ensuring a bright future for Homewood and the entire West Shore community,” said Chapman.
About Homewood Mountain ResortHomewood Mountain Resort is one of California’s first winter recreation resorts. Offering a family-friendly atmosphere since 1961, Homewood continues to offer premier winter skiing and snowboarding with a focus on top level guest service and custom vacation packages. Homewood is accessible via Interstate 80 to California State Route 89, just 55 miles from Reno Tahoe International Airport. The resort’s parent company is San Francisco, California based JMA Ventures, LLC. JMA is a full service real estate investment firm, serving as managing member of over $500 million in existing projects.
