 One of the great joys of living
in Florida is the ability to live close to nature. Last year,
during a series of public design workshops and online surveys,
local residents in Palm Beach County told the planners of Exploration Pointe that
it was important to design a community that is connected to,
and cares for, the environment. The planners took those ideas
and recommendations to heart, and placed them high on their
priority list when creating a master plan for this new live-work-play
and learn community that includes a sustainable and environmentally
sound integrated resource management plan for drinking water,
waste management and ecological systems.
An innovative approach
was used when deciding how to lay out the mix of businesses,
schools, green space and homes. Much of the land was used
for agricultural purposes for many years, and, as a result, is
now very stressed and overrun by non-native plant species
including Brazilian Pepper and Melaleuca. Well-respected conservation
design principles were employed, which called for first recognizing
and setting aside land would benefit most from restoration,
then designating potential areas for development, utilities
and roads.
“This
is about going the extra mile to restore the land to a much better
condition than it’s in today,” said Ed Weinberg, founder
of EW Consultants and the environmental consultant for Exploration
Pointe. “Wetlands that were drained for agricultural
purposes will be restored to their former state, and this open green
corridor will be the true backbone of this community”.
The
process began by identifying the best quality wetlands on
the property. It’s hard to believe, but out of the 4,763 acres that will
become Exploration Pointe, 2,078 – almost
half - will be restored and preserved wetlands and uplands that will
allow water to flow more easily to nearby natural areas, and wildlife
corridors that make it easier for birds and other animals to connect
through to other preserves in the area, including the JW Corbett
Wildlife Management Area, the Grassy Waters Preserve, Hungryland
slough and Unit 11. These acres will be preserved forever, and, when
combined with 734 acres of parks and open green space, exceeds the
Audubon Society recommendation of one acre of conserved land for
each acre that is developed.
Within Exploration Pointe there
will be more than 20 miles of publicly available walking,
hiking, biking and nature trails. Throughout the community
there are parks, ball fields and running paths. Lakes form
another link to nature, with access for walking, cycling,
skateboarding and boating, so residents and visitors can
safely connect to the environment and enjoy these very special
areas.
“I remember saying that I wanted to see
pathways and walkways and bridges connecting the community while
conserving nature,” said Suzanne Crowley, who lives near the
site of Exploration Pointe and
participated in last year’s workshops. “ All this is in place, and
I think its good that areas for preservation have been solidly identified”.
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