Audubon Environmental Land Trust Announces First Conservation Easement in the U.S. at Barbour Pointe in Savannah, Georgia

December 20, 2007 - CARY, NC – Audubon Environmental Land Trust (AELT) proudly announces its first conservation easement in the U.S. for the conservation and protection of natural resources and habitat at Barbour Pointe, a Coastal Conservation CommunityTM located in Savannah, Georgia. Barbour Pointe development sets a new standard for sustainable, conservation-oriented coastal development. Barbour Pointe is the first development of its kind to combine low-impact, sustainable site development, construction of highly resource efficient homes, community “green” energy generation and the use of conservation easement protection of riparian buffers and green space in a pristine coastal setting.

Audubon Environmental has taken its commitment to sustainable development to the next level through the creation of Audubon Environmental Land Trust (AELT), a non-profit corporation dedicated to the conservation and protection of land and natural resources in their native environment. The Barbour Pointe conservation easement is the inaugural opportunity for this new environmental non-profit organization to exercise its ability to protect and preserve the heritage of the land we live in and around.

“We are pleased to partner with the development team of Gregg Bayard and Curry Wadsworth at Barbour Pointe who are proving their commitment to environmental protection by allowing the extensive common areas consisting of upland green space, wetlands and coastal marsh to be placed into a conservation easement, thus preserving existing density and land usage in perpetuity,” says Rich Henderson, Executive Vice President, Audubon Environmental.

Through the conservation easement at Barbour Pointe, this site will make efforts to conserve and protect a virtually pristine tidal creek marsh corridor. This conservation easement seeks to continue to protect these marsh corridors and the view sheds while allowing for sensitive development and recreational use.

According to Henderson, AELT decided to be involved with the project at Barbour Pointe because this development is:

• Creating a Master Plan that minimizes the impacts on the tract and surrounding neighborhood;
• Making every effort to minimize non-essential land disturbance and preserve existing trees, indigenous vegetation and wildlife habitat;
• Protecting sensitive estuary ecosystems and water quality through comprehensive stormwater management and restrictions on pesticide and fertilizer use; and,
• Proving their commitment to sustainable development by becoming a member of the Audubon International Silver Signature program focusing on design and management of environmentally sustainable development.

“Many of the sustainable aspects of Barbour Pointe have been done individually in other developments but we believe Barbour Pointe has set the bar at a new height for overall sustainable elements in a single community,” says Gregg Bayard, Barbour Pointe developer.

Barbour Pointe has been planned and developed with great attention paid to every aspect of low-impact, sustainable development. Barbour Pointe was selected as the pilot for the new EarthCraft Coastal CommunityTM Guidelines. Barbour Pointe Architectural Guidelines, EarthCraft House™ construction standards and elements of the overall site plan provide significant points toward LEED-HomeTM certification. Barbour Pointe is an Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary Member. Barbour Pointe has been designated as a wildlife sanctuary by The Wild Garden Project, a local non-profit organization based in Darien, Georgia dedicated to the establishment, preservation and reclamation of Georgia’s coastal native habitats.

For more information about Audubon Environmental, visit www.audubonenv.com.

For more information about Barbour Pointe, visit www.barbourpointe.com.

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