Sustainable land development: is sustainable development a contradiction in terms? Alice Dodson and David Tuch explain how we can develop land in harmony with natural processes

New Life Journal, April-May, 2002 by Alice Dodson, David Tuch

The intention behind sustainable development is to create a balanced living environment for humans, one that can be maintained in harmony with our planetary environment and nature's life supporting systems. Depending on geographical location and social and environmental circumstances, the application could be very different from place to place. Large crowded cities or the countryside, newly developed areas or historical places, underdeveloped countries versus high-tech societies each carry their own unique set of issues to be resolved.

A high-speed, high-tech, consumer-oriented society creates over-consumption of natural resources and energy, and pollution in the air, in water systems, and on land. Not only are human life and relationships affected by all this, but also our natural environment. In the mountains of Western North Carolina we greatly value the beauty of the land, the cleanliness of water and air and a sense of community is important as well. To create a sustainable development in our region, we need to consider planning low impact land use to preserve natural beauty. Thought must be given to the following issues:

* carefully selecting building sites in order to preserve natural features, habitats

* applying sustainable landscape design principles

* if possible, incorporating the use of alternative non-polluting energy sources, like solar, wind or hydro, when feasible

* using natural, non-toxic building materials and appropriate construction methods

* recycling and reusing

* plans for creating a sense of neighborhood or community

PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE

With little effort, one can create a healthier living environment by carefully selecting non-toxic finishes, or by using sustainable building materials. With proper design and orientation of the sun considered, a "passive solar design" can be created, which conserves energy by utilizing the solar heat. Solar energy also can be used for hot water-based heating and for domestic hot water as well as creating electricity. There is tax credit for using solar. If you are thinking about the cost consequences of these ideas, some would cost more, and some only require extra attention. One can also consider exchanging the quantity of space for quality, by building smaller but better quality spaces. [For more on passive solar construction, see the article on page 8 of this issue. For more on active solar and tax credits, see page 6.]

The experience of living in addition to the quality of a building can be enhanced greatly by the conceptual design of the housing development as a whole. In most common circumstances, a large tract of land is subdivided, cut up into smaller parcels, and each lot is developed independently. As an alternative, there are several successful examples of Traditional Neighborhood Developments (TNDs). TNDs try to recreate a sense of community through their planned use of the land in some or all of the following ways:

* concentrating or clustering homes on some part of the land, leaving large green areas undisturbed, and creating smaller pocket parks and playgrounds for common use.

* developing streets and walking trails

* planning for all age groups and for various income groups

* planning for mixed use so there could be community and/or recreational buildings as well as live-work arrangement, including stores or small restaurants, etc.

* including sustainable landscaping with possibilities for gardening, etc.

By designing a development with these ideas, there is a better chance to create sustainable land use and preserve some of the natural features of the land. At the same time, spaces and opportunities for people to interact with each other are created, breaking down the barriers of isolation, providing a safer and more comforting community.

LANDSCAPING AND LAND USE

When addressing sustainable residential development from a landscape perspective, it is important to address two key issues. First, respond to the ecology of the landscape. Second, create environmentally sensitive design solutions. These two key issues can be broken into two basic phases: the site analysis phase and the site design phase. The site analysis phase examines the landscape in order to identify areas most suitable for development and areas most suitable for conservation and protection. While the site design phase utilizes ecologically sensitive design principles to create a development that uses nature as a model.

SITE ANALYSIS PHASE

Typically a site analysis provides detailed information regarding a site's hydrology, soils, slopes, solar aspect, microclimate, vegetation, wildlife, scenic qualities, and cultural features. This information should be combined with the site's overall landscape ecological patterns.

The pattern and arrangement of trees, water bodies, and other natural features can characterize a landscape. These patterns are defined as landscape ecological elements and include patches, corridors, and the overall matrix.

A landscape patch can be a wetland, a stand of trees, or a plant community. The significance of a patch for protection is dependent on its contribution to the overall landscape. For example, a large landscape patch that provides interior habitat for birds and is located adjacent to a stream provides a safe connection for wildlife to access the stream. This is significant and should be protected. Also, if a patch contains any rare, threatened, or endemic species, it should also be protected. Patches can serve as steppingstones for species movement to larger patches or as a connection to corridors.