To celebrate the 50th Birthday of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia has made a contribution to Bartram’s Garden to help plant a new fruit orchard. The contribution is part of the company’s global commitment to plant 10 Million Trees as part of its long term efforts to support sustainability.

Established in 1728, Bartram’s Garden is a curious garden, inspired by nature and the example of the Bartram family as explorers and naturalists. This grant furthers the Garden’s mission to bring back historic uses, providing a visual delight in the spring and a wonderful new attraction for the community to pick fruit and picnic under the trees.

Bartram’s Garden will work with the Philadelphia Orchard Project to plant 15 semi-dwarf fruit trees, a combination of heirloom and disease-resistant modern varieties of cherry, plum, apple and pear. An orchard once covered between four to six acres of Bartram’s Garden in the 1850s, with some species like the Rambo apple and Lady Petre pear having their origins in Europe. There will be complementary plantings of native plants such as paw paws, serviceberry and persimmons. Early phases for this project will begin in fall 2011.

“The orchard will not only be a beautiful addition to Bartram’s Garden, but will also serve our community and restore original uses,” says Executive Director Louise Turan. “We could not be more grateful to the staff at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia for this gift and its commitment to eco-consciousness.”

Four Seasons of Preservation: Supporting Sustainability

10 Million Trees is the newest initiative in the company’s longstanding commitment to supporting sustainability. Four Seasons involves employees and guests in the common goal of preserving and protecting the planet and strives to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact. Sustainable tourism that enhances and protects the destinations where the company operates is a key focus.

Further details of the company’s programs in the areas of local farming, wildlife conservation, environmental programs, recycling, waste management and energy conservation can be found on the new Living Values website. Initiatives include working with local farmers in Hawaii, reducing and reusing waste in Philadelphia, reviving coral reefs in the Maldives, saving elephants in Thailand, reducing plastics in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, supporting sea turtles in the sea around Nevis, West Indies and much more.

In addition, the company’s extensive efforts in building communities and advancing cancer research are also chronicled on the Living Values website.

City.Mobi

Also in US today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Philadelphia.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Philadelphia.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.