If stately timbers in the lobby of Lied Lodge & Conference Center at Arbor Day Farm could speak about what has passed beneath them in the 25 years since they were erected, what tales they could tell.
Since its dedication in 1993, Lied Lodge has played host to hundreds of thousands of visitors from all walks of life. Some are families on vacation or seeking a unique place for a weekend together. Some are wedding parties or reunion gatherings or business groups making plans or seeking ways to motivate their sales forces. But many are conservation and natural resource organizations of every imaginable kind.
The key concept behind the creation of Lied Lodge was to provide a place to facilitate the discussion of natural resource issues and problems facing our nation’s environment — and to work together on solutions. Toward this end, every major agency has held conferences at Lied Lodge including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
As we celebrate Lied Lodge’s 25th year, two major achievements rise above all the others. One is the multiplier effect from the education that groups receive while at Lied Lodge. For example, Dr. Melanie Kirk of Texas A&M University studied the influence one of the events had on its participants. It was the Municipal Forestry Institute sponsored by the Society of Municipal Arborists. Dr. Kirk found that virtually all participants left with useful information and 93 percent planned to “take action or make changes” based on their training. The other legacy of Lied Lodge is that no matter who visits, they go home with the inspiration that emanates from this remarkable lodge and conference center.
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