|
|
 |
|
Planning and Design The McHarg exclusion process has been used to allow the land to tell us where development can take place with the least environmental impact. The village design is
based on Permaculture principles and Pattern Language as utilised
successfully in leading ecovillages around the world. Homes will be clustered and where possible be within 500 metres of the village centre. Homes will be built with solar passive design and dry composting toilets. Power will be generated using photo-voltaic panels (Solar Power) and potable water will be harvested from roof runoff and stored in rainwater tanks. Car dependency will be reduced through initiatives such as a car share business, free bicycle program and a fund set up to support onsite enterprises to lessen the need to commute for work and shopping. Some of the land has been reserved for agriculture. The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme, a core enterprise, has started their first green-manure crops on the property. The scheme intends on growing organic food for the Ecovillage and wider community. Approximately 80% of the native bushland on the property will be retained and encouraged to regenerate. This will improve flora diversity and habitat for local wildlife.Environmental Management Plan (EMP) After 8 months of extensive field surveys, desktop studies, dissemination and reviews, our EMP was completed in mid June 2007 for submission to the Shire of Mundaring and WA Planning Commission. It will be the document that steers environmental projects and management for SomerVille well into the future. Expert investigations have been conducted on soils, geotechnical, flora, fauna, dieback, aboriginal heritage, water demand and supply, drainage, groundwater, wastewater disposal, potential contamination and fire management. Some of the key environmental issues identified in the EMP are water resource management, vegetation clearing, Black Cockatoo habitat, fire management, dieback, weeds and greywater disposal. A whole suite of measures have been identified to manage the potential impacts of each component of the development. Further studies to be conducted in 2007 include seasonal weed mapping, fauna trapping surveys and nutrient modelling for greywater disposal. Water Management A Water Management Group was formed in 2006 to determine water usage, legislative requirements, resource availability, water delivery and how to deal with waste water. Water Balance Modelling has been conducted to work out the best balance between the components of our water delivery system are and how to manage issues such as extraction and pumping costs, storage, salinity, evaporation and downstream flows. Results of water investigations so far indicate that there is sufficient water available from shallow and deeper groundwater resources as well as peak runoff from catchment slopes. Our water catchment is our own because it essentially starts at the ridgeline across the southern boundary of the property. An Integrated Water Management Plan is to be produced in 2007 which will primarily address: · Conclusions of water investigations and Water Balance Modelling · The extraction, storage and delivery system for non-potable water. · Management of potable water · Management of Groundwater and Stormwater. · Nutrient and Irrigation Management. An infiltration gallery was installed in May 2007 in the east of the property as a trial to collect and extract groundwater when the shallow sand aquifer fills up in winter/spring.
|
Interesting Links Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow, Strawbale Construction Getting the Most out of Your Wood Stove Water Quality Protection Notes on the WA Department of Water web site |
