Our Mission

Inspired by the words of our founder, Elizabeth Paepcke, ACES’ mission is “educating for environmental responsibility.”

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a nonprofit environmental education center. Since 1968, ACES has inspired a life-long commitment to the earth by providing innovative and immersive programming for all ages. We have three locations: Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and Catto Center at Toklat. Our programs focus on ecological literacy, regenerative agriculture, forest and ecosystem health, land restoration, and environmental leadership.

ACES works to contribute to a national agenda for increased environmental awareness. Our programs reach over 140,000 individuals every year. We teach daily in schools from Aspen to Rifle, provide kids camps, adult classes, guided hikes and field programs for all ages, with 70 partner organizations. We also engage our community by hosting public lectures and events. ACES collaborates with land trusts, public agencies, and other nonprofits to achieve our mission.

In the next 50 years, ACES seeks to cultivate a community of environmental stewards so that children, parents, consumers, decision-makers, and leaders can make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.