When I think of a sustainable community, I think of the indigenous people only using what they required, and I think of my grandparents using their simple technologies to survive with what they had. But the world has become complicated so now we must use more technical and long-winded ways to describe sustainable comminites.
For instance, the UN has puiblished a plan of action called Agenda 21 for which the purpose is to improve the sustainability of communities. Here are some of the objectives of Agenda 21:
· To review and develop policies to support the best possible use of land and the sustainable management of land resources;
· To improve and strengthen planning, management and evaluation systems for land and land resources;
· To strengthen institutions and coordinating mechanisms for land and land resources;
· To create mechanisms to facilitate the active involvement and participation of all concerned, particularly communities and people at the local level, in decision-making
(Ling, C., Personal Communication, 2011)
These are important qualities that need to be obtained. We must, as a global culture, begin to use our land for its most suited purposes and do so by acting together on previously established terms. However, to put it simply, it’s quite boring to read how a community should become sustainable – it makes it seem like work. I believe this is the reason why some people, who would love to live in a sustainable community, are not aware of it, and as such, are not doing so. I would love to live in one, but I have no idea how it could be done or if these types of communities even exist.
They do exist. I very recently learned about Living Forest Communities, which are an excellent example of sustainable communities. These communities use minimal land development and minimal resources to building hamlets within a forest ecosystem. It is called ecosystem-based forestry and it conserves at least (!) 85% of the land through covenants, with the money provided by the sale of the lots. (Living Forest Communities, 2007)
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| http://www.elkingtonforest.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=58 |
These communities are intelligently yet simply designed; the homes are built with green technology and the forest is harvested by single stem processes that allow the community to become economically viable. This is done in conjunction with land trust organization, such as The Trust for Sustainable Forestry. One amazing point to not is that these communites are not out in the middle of nowhere. The lastest one is Elkington Forest which is only 30 minutes away from Victoria – an easy commute. (Living Forest Communities, 2007)
Visit Living Forest Communities to watch a video on the new Elkington Forest.
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| http://www.elkingtonforest.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=58 |
Watch how The Trust for Sustainable Forestry puts ecosystem-based forestry into action in this video.
References:
Ling, C. (2011). Personal Communication. Lecture Notes on Sustainable Communities.
Living Forest Communities. (2007). Retrieved March 9, 2011 from http://www.livingforestcommunities.com/
