Dear Vail Resorts and Park City Mountain team: I hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out as a concerned community member and frequent visitor to Park City Mountain Resort.
Issue: Recently, I’ve observed landscaping or maintenance crews hosing down areas of the parking lot where active bird nests were present. This action appears to pose serious risk to the nests, eggs and any young birds that may be inside.
Why this matters:
- Legal and ethical obligations: Under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is a violation to disturb, destroy or remove active nests, eggs, or young of most native bird species without a proper permit. Utah state law also provides protections for occupied nests and eggs.
- Wildlife welfare and community trust: Park City Mountain is known for its love of the outdoors. Preserving wildlife and demonstrating care for native species reflects your values and strengthens guest and community trust.
My request:
- Kindly confirm whether hosing was performed knowingly in areas with active nests, and under what circumstances.
- Please ensure that future maintenance avoids active nesting areas, especially during breeding season.
- It would be wonderful to see Park City Mountain explore wildlife-conscious maintenance practices — such as signage, training, or schedules — to protect nesting birds.
Thank you for your attention and consideration. I appreciate your commitment to both exceptional guest experiences and environmental stewardship.
Ingrid Middleton
Park City