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1 �. URBAXFORESTS
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<br /> began, subcontractors attended a chop down a tree, and it's a fact that says that the company has no hard
<br /> lecture and slide show to learn envi- owners will pay more for a house with figures, however, because "no one
<br /> roam entally sound construction tech- a tree," says Ruse. "No builder t •ant - wants to build a test case " —a commu-
<br /> piques. to avoid changing the p11 to spend Homey to get Tess money. the nits with no trees.
<br /> ' balance of the soil, for example, only reason it's been done in the past Even smaller firms may implement
<br /> concrete subcontractors were required is because the 1
<br /> • to wash out their trucks in a predeter deyelupers were i r •F o t. • Te. .. , Zg' 2 y
<br /> mined ar where the concrete was following local ' , -0 fi t!' +c:- ' + „ .r
<br /> allowed to harden and then trucked regulations." ;{ � ' `t t 'lS % : •
<br /> t ..
<br /> , � '
<br /> f � � t � . 1
<br /> off houses on ' " ,
<br /> • (Additional conservation techniques wooded lots � ,• t ,' 1 •
<br /> have been tried out in Chicago, where usually ' f .E ,• j} 4 .
<br /> it t , t t ,+ r ( :1;" . F a r
<br /> a tree conscious backht>< operator on command a r� ); + r .. ,i 1 , .; t r ` •
<br /> empty each shovelful of dirt since According to a .11.
<br /> one project backed his machine out to premium price. ,-1;••,',,.....7,,-.','.,-, " � t : ' ), .` t 1 , ',.
<br /> a�. r k
<br /> survey done in " ° < -'� I ! - :- :
<br /> swiveling the bucket would have _ '- � _ •
<br /> x
<br /> damaged trees. Temporary walkways 1990 by Arbor ..., r -=' `- " '? { = •
<br /> for workers avoided soil compaction National Mort- -
<br /> Utz ��,., _, ,i ' =::; r -
<br /> • around roots. A crane was used to lift gage, a bank > r�
<br /> based in West ?, � '-� -
<br /> construction materials over trees.) - - '
<br /> • • -•,..--.. _ s
<br /> These herculean efforts to save the bury, New York, j* = -�r+x y: I .;
<br /> woods do not come cheap But •
<br /> Mike trees increase "' -- ,, =- ' _
<br /> • f :, - , - . z -.' s3i, 7 may:
<br /> Rose is convinced that tree saving is property values
<br /> by 20 percent. Of This she ruu'ater r: `o:iuige �tv rtt nvai/ is carefully engineered to I
<br /> gtxtd business. I
<br /> 400 realtors keep sediment (rare awshint away, but focal regulations required
<br /> t ee of Rose's colleagues surveyed, 83 tite dereloper to c r,! an unnecessarily wide swath of trees.
<br /> describes him as "a bottom- percent believe
<br /> •
<br /> line kind of guy." With 28 that mature trees have a "strong or some of Rose's tree - saving techniques
<br /> years in the development moderate impact" on the salability of and have it make good business sense.
<br /> business, with a company that homes listed for under $150,000. For Custom home builders like C.E.
<br /> added $1.5 billion to Maryland's tax houses over $250,000, the n Russell and Associates of Deerfield,
<br /> goes le, who build for the
<br /> base in 1990, with the respect of his up to a whopping 98 percent. Illinois, for example, 'I
<br /> peers (Rose is president of the Subur- Houses with trees not only sell for upscale market— houses priced above
<br /> •
<br /> ban Maryland Building Industry Assn- more; they also sell faster than houses $4(X).000 —find saving trees pays off.
<br /> ciation, which represents 1,1(1(1 in treeless subdivisions. Cathy Stevens,
<br /> At the midscale- market level, it can I
<br /> member companies, and is on NAHB's a homeowner who passed up other make economic sense to save trees in �
<br /> 15- member Land Developers' Stand - developments to buy at Northridge. the common open spaces. With the
<br /> ing Committee), \like Rose is the kind says, "We came from Georgia, where entry -level market, the builder has to
<br /> of guy who knows what he's they don't take out trees like they do look for more creative solutions such I
<br /> doing. here. We picked our lot because it has as working with local jurisdictions to I
<br /> As I'R director Finkelstein says, trees in the front yard."
<br /> cluster houses.
<br /> 1
<br /> "Mike Rose is not altruistic. He knows Rose points out that a subdivision The purpose of Global ReLeaf for
<br /> that people like to wake up and hear that sells faster lowers interest carrying Nev t Communities is to highlight 1
<br /> birds in trews." charges for the developer and reduce, success stories like those of Mike Rose.
<br /> Rose estimates that tree saving and the need for a lengthy ad campaign. As their track record convinces other r
<br /> landscaping at Northridge added Rose concludes that large developers builders to climb on the green band -
<br /> 53,500 per home, or roughly one to who have economy of scale going (or wagon, the public's perceptions of I li
<br /> two percent for a $200,(X)( home. I le theme can "more than break even" on developers will gradually change.
<br /> finds there are tradeoffs. He spends their tree - saving investment. (Maybe no more lynch mobs.)
<br /> , as well
<br /> h
<br /> will change .
<br /> more on some things and saves namely Another large company that finds The marketplace wi i
<br /> • on others, such as storntwater- reten- green communities pay for themselves The public will expect homes with
<br /> tion ponds, sidewalks, narrower is Friendship Development Company, trees, just as it is starting to demand
<br /> roads —and tree removal. based in Houston. Mary_ Ann Larch, a green products in supermarkets.
<br /> "It's a fact that it costs dollars to landscape architect for Friendship,
<br /> It's not cast' to become a Global
<br /> Aw r:a ,tN For: \i AN •'Ih Ni I`')I
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