Environmental Commitment
Pomona Woods was created with a vision to inspire in guests a lasting connection to nature, community and each other.
Recent studies are now demonstrating what many people intuitively knew for hundreds of years – being in nature is good for our well-being. Being in nature is proven to reduce stress, increase happiness, relieve attention fatigue and increases creativity. It may even help people to be kind and generous (American Psychological Association, April 1, 2020). Pomona Woods was founded on the belief that no matter what the purpose is for the group gathering, it will be enriched in a myriad of ways by being held in a beautiful forest environment.
Environment
A focus on nature and habitat preservation is a cornerstone of our low footprint operating philosophy. We are designing to, and will seek LEED certification from the US Green Building Council. LEED is a holistic system that doesn’t simply focus on one element of a building such as energy, water or health, rather it looks at the big picture factoring in all of the critical elements that work together to create the best building possible. An important element of designing to an external certification system is being able to communicate to our guests, community and business partners in a credible, easy to understand way and inspire others to adopt some, or many, of the same practices.
Green features include:
- High efficiency building envelope
- Low air leakage with a heat recovery ventilation system
- Energy efficient lighting, water heating and kitchen appliances
- 25% anticipated energy usage supplied by rooftop solar panels to be installed by year three
- High efficiency heat pump in room units
- Use of lumber from road and site clearing in some furnishings and finishings
- Priority given to construction materials, finishings and furniture with sustainable certifications (recycled, low emitting, local sourced)
- Electric vehicle charging for guests/staff
Sustainability.
On an ongoing basis, Pomona Woods will operate in a sustainable way. Staff and guests will be engaged to continually improve our processes to reduce, reuse and recycle and we will compost on-site for use in the garden. We will use only environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. Landscaping will be minimal and drought tolerant. To inspire staff and guests we will share the sustainable features of the building, grounds and operations.
Our Social Values & Philosophy
Employees-
Care of our team is the first way we ensure a delightful guest experience.
Staff who are fairly compensated and respected for the work they do will welcome and care for guests with affection and attention to detail. At a minimum we will pay a living wage and involve all employees in strategizing how we can better meet our social and environmental goals and the needs of our guests. As the business matures, we will evaluate benefits that are most meaningful to the team (planned for year 3). Business performance will result in meaningful staff bonuses as well.
Pomona Woods is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals from all cultures and communities are encouraged to apply. We will regularly check in with the team, individually and in groups, directly and anonymously, to see how we are living up to the culture of inclusiveness, empowerment and respect that we seek to create.
Our Guests come to Pomona Woods to connect with nature and better themselves and their communities through the myriad of reasons they come together as a group.
Honest, clear guest communication extends from our website, marketing and social media, to first contact, contracting and finally on-site experience. We are always striving for a better guest experience so will be informally and formally soliciting feedback from the host and their group – all our guests – to the betterment of our operations. Guest safety and security on-site and of their personal information is of utmost importance and we will use the most up to date best practices to protect them.
Our community starts with immediate neighbors and extends to Jefferson County, the Olympic Peninsula, Salish Sea region and Washington State.
Pomona Woods will be part of an ecosystem of businesses in the region through buying local products, services and building materials wherever possible and by connecting our guests to local businesses and organizations as part of their stay. Part of the owner’s role is to curate speakers, volunteer activities and excursions (kayaking, farm visits, NW School of Wooden Boat Building, etc) for the guests. Having broad knowledge of and good relationships in the immediate community is therefore important to the business besides just being fun. The owner has been a part of the Chamber of Jefferson County, volunteering on the sustainable tourism committee, since before groundbreaking. In addition, we will work with local emergency management to see how we can be a part of the emergency response plan (having a generator, kitchen and rooms).
The owner of Pomona Woods will donate 1% of her share of profits to priority not-for-profits and all employees will be paid for 1 day/year to volunteer in the community. During two off-season months not-for-profits will receive a 50% discount on their stay at Pomona Woods, with priority given to organizations that focus on BIPOC communities in nature and environmental justice.
Land Acknowledgement
The waters, mountains, valleys and shorelines around Pomona Woods are the traditional territories of the Chemakum (Aqokúlo or Čə́məq̓əm) and S’Klallam (Nəxʷsƛ̕áy̕əm̕). Additional Indigenous nations met, traded, and gardened in this area, including the Snohomish (Sdoh-doh-hohbsh), other Coast Salish peoples, and the Makah (Qʷidiččaʔa·tx̌). We acknowledge that Indigenous people have been here since time immemorial and that this land will continue to hold deep significance for present and future generations of local Native communities.
We are actively educating ourselves on the history, culture and present-day priorities of Native tribes of the Olympic Peninsula, Salish Sea, and Pacific Northwest. As we learn, we will look for opportunities to meaningfully develop a respectful and humble relationship with local communities. Our learning journey will also include the Dayton, WA area where the Pomona Ranch of our namesake was located. We’ll seek to understand the history of the Indigenous people who traded, lived and gathered food on the land before it was colonized – the Cayuse, the Nez Perce, the Umatilla, and the Palouse and the family legacy related to their history.