Municipal
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What is a Living Forest Community?Where will it work best?
Why is it important for a Municipality to consider this in its Planning?
Triple Bottom Line Benefits
How do we implement this approach?
Preservation vs. Conservation
Media
Who are we?
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Triple bottom line benefits
Economic
In our experience there is a substantial positive increase to the municipal property tax base in providing continuing dollars to benefit all taxpayers. In the Cortes project, we anticipate an eight-fold increase in assessment for the same lands even though over 90% was maintained as dedicated forest stewardship lands. Using a BC Bare Land Strata form of ownership with the Living Forest Community model, there will not be costly public infrastructure to build or maintain at taxpayer expense. The "light-on-the-land" green building clustering concept, the reduced need for costly services or infrastructure, and strata title form of ownership means that a residential purchaser will have the ultimate obligation to maintain the needed infrastructure. To protect both the lot purchasers and the municipalities, we utilize only the most tried and true technology available, and that which is appropriately sized for the needs of the community.
The Forest Stewardship Plan will permit and encourage value added utilization of the sustainably harvested timber and non-timber resources. It will improve local community business opportunities, assist in promoting diversification of the local economy and increase local and sustainable employment. We envisage small-scale portable mills on site, and, as on Cortes, we anticipate using the raw logs for more than just dimensional lumber.
Moreover, given the nature of the construction of the sites, many of these villages will sustain an eco-tourism and tourism service industry, which will provide a new focus for many of the communities beyond traditional industrial timber harvest.
Environment
We will follow a strict environmental management approach. The forested areas will be managed according to a Forest Stewardship Plan which will identify and protect all sensitive habitat areas and watercourses. The Forest Stewardship Plan will manage the selective harvesting of the timber and non-timber resources on the site. The wildlife will not be driven from their natural habitat as often happens with our industrial forestry practices.Design guidelines and architectural controls will prescribe the quality, form and character of the homes. The buildings will be built according to the most sustainable methods and practices. The housing will be clustered so as to minimize the impact on the site and to promote social interaction. Within the community, access roads will be built at a minimal width (4m), services will be clustered and built underground and sewage treatment will utilize the technology that minimizes any impact of dwellings on the land and its environs.
