A U.S.Forest Service facility that is a popular Northwoods stopping point has joined more than 500 tourism-related businesses to become a "Travel Green" Wisconsin certified member.
To reach "Travel Green" certification, organizations must incorporate sustainable environmental practices into their operations.
The Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center near Ashland was granted that designation December 15 by the Department of Tourism.
The Center's Director is Jason Maloney, who at one time was the Director of the Blackwell Job Corps facility in Forest county. Maloney says they did a large amount of work at the center to improve energy efficiency, which helped lead to the Travel Green designation...
".....we're also installing some solar PV generation capabilities here in the building. When we get that completed we'll also be working on an interpretive exhibit so that when people come here they can understand that what a human does with a building has an effect in the world of nature. Our goal is to get near a net zero state as far as energy conservation and energy production here at this very large public facility. Solar PV will be the main alternative energy production here. We're looking to make this place a showcase of energy conservation and energy production..."
Maloney says the planning for the project is complete and he expects construction to begin next month. Maloney says the popular center will be open during the construction phase and the interior projects should be done later in the year.
