Treetop Quest Opens at Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center

Adventure park attraction brings education and exercise to Metro Atlanta

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(GWINNETT- METRO ATLANTA) September 12, 2011- Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development celebrated on Friday, September 9,  its partnership with Treetop Quest and their expansion to the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, in a ribbon cutting announcing the community’s first Canopy Adventure Attraction. As one of the most unique, family-friendly adventure courses in Georgia, Treetop Quest is touted as a new genre of educational, adventurous, and environmentally responsible recreation.

“The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center Foundation is very excited about the additional programming opportunities this exhibit brings to the community with its ability to explore nature’s magnificent tree canopy,” said Hank Houser, chairman of the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center Foundation. “This exhibit, funded by Treetop Quest, is a major benefit to the community in that it will create a regional eco-tourism destination, generating economic opportunities and job growth.”

Treetop Quest integrates educational quizzes, instructional tour guides, and environmental stewardship into its unique experience. Categorized by the genre’s newly coined term, “edutainment”, Treetop Quest’s integral differentiator is their strict environmentally sustainable construction codes. Parent company Altiplano, specializing in outdoor recreational parks, brought in an expert design and construction crew from France to construct the series of platforms, zip lines, monkey bridges, and Tarzan swings. Constructed from untreated wood, the courses are built without drilling or puncturing the tree trunks. At heights up to 55 feet above the ground, and zip lines stretching more than 200 feet, Treetop Quest boasts ample adrenaline spikes for the thrill seekers, with specialized preliminary training, ultra security harnesses, and experienced guides to reassure the most apprehensive.

Sharing goals of environmental preservation and stewardship, their partnership with the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center allows excellent exposure for the new exhibit, as well as economic stimulus to the area.

“Treetop Quest’s decision to build and fund a U.S. based adventure/educational exhibit in Gwinnett is due in large part to the demand of its citizens for continued quality of life activities in the community,” said Antoine Buliard, U.S. development manager for Treetop Quest. “Our decision to partner with the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center Foundation on this project is a demonstration of the company’s goal to respect the environment in which the exhibit is built and use the natural surroundings as part of the overall educational experience to be gained through use of the exhibit.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Treetop Quest to our community today,” said Gwinnett County District 1 Commissioner Shirley Lasseter. “We look forward to how this unique attraction will bolster tourism in Gwinnett and draw our neighbors from throughout Metro Atlanta to experience firsthand our dedication to sustainability and excellent quality of life.”

“Partnership Gwinnett has a strong focus on enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Gwinnett,” said Nick Masino, Vice President of Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett at the Gwinnett Chamber. “This exhibit is an investment directly into the community, which is line with our overall effort to further develop a resource and amenity-rich county. We are pleased that they have chosen Gwinnett in which develop this attraction- and we are grateful to Rose Catherin and Matthew McBride of ERIA for introducing Treetop Quest to Gwinnett.  We look forward to watching them grow in Gwinnett and Metro Atlanta.”

Treetop Quest opened officially on September 3, and is available for tours on weekends through November. For more information and ticket reservations, visit www.treetopquest.com. For more information about the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, please visit www.gwinnettehc.org . For more information on Partnership Gwinnett, the internationally award-winning community and economic development initiative, please visit www.partnershipgwinnett.com.