This post is to discuss a design and plan for sharing forest land in a way intended to be the best of many worlds, for instance balancing autonomy and cooperation… We're interested to know what other people think because we want to make this work and we believe in the power of collaboration.
For us, it's become critical to figure it out.
A clock is ticking, foreclosure looms closer and my heart is beating ever faster. This wasn't how things were supposed to go but when my partner experienced a health crisis over the holidays, even though he survived, he's no longer able to be on the land or do the work... That sparked the lein holder to issue the warning...pay up or go... but no!...we've given our all here, so much for so long, we're old now, we can't start over... we've invested everything preparing this land for partners and to begin implementing the design...the livestock guard dogs were born here, the only home they've ever known, all the trees we've planted, it's such a good place...I want to stay
and it's finally ready!
and we've just been awarded forestry grant funding!
That means it's a divine opportunity for someone looking for a special forest home..with a mission! someone who loves forests and permaculture, homesteading and cooperation. With this plan, it could even work for folks with limited means.
The threat of foreclosure means that for some kindred spirits (we're looking, is it you?), it's going to be rock bottom cheap.
So, look. We're old. We've been practicing and sharing Permaculture Design for decades. He grew up around here, raised a family and spent his adult life doing edible landscaping here (you should see the copious flowers coming on the fruit trees already this spring, so lovely! they already produce more than we can use), also roundwood timber framing and other forest-friendly ways of building. So when you hear our plan, keep in mind this dream is built on a solid foundation of Permaculture Design, experience, and lots of observation. The telling of it blends some description and story with the design so bear with.
We think it's a good plan with umpteen advantages and genuinely want to know, what do you think?
We've worked hard and invested so much here. In fact, it took us two and a half years to find it! (we had a long list of criteria).
The land is amazing, so is the water, and the location. And the elevation, climate, aspect, all of it. It's a good place to survive, to grow a lot of food, medicine, firewood, building materials.....we took everything into consideration.
There’s a description on Regional Resources: Cascadia so check it out if you’re interested. I’ll try not to repeat what’s there.
This is meant to be a discussion about the human structure and land design because the ideal of a small group of cohorts working cooperatively, that makes my heart sing, over the more common but often oppressive individual landlord-type structure (which is still far better than getting booted out altogether, but don't go there...breathe...)
I'm going for the beautiful dream. Yes. I'm a proud utopian. Laugh if you wish, I'm sticking with it.
The two main missions of our nonprofit include doing a kind of forestry we call Millennial Forestry and constructing a kind of human habitation harmonious with forests....because we humans must learn to live with forests if we are to survive. Most Permies get that.
For those (we include ourselves) who want the benefits of living in a small "community" but not all the problems associated with it, well, good luck. It's probably not possible but we've given it a lot of consideration and observation and think for this location, the following structure has promise towards that goal. We know we're not alone in this paradox so we're interested in what you think.
It’s a plan that attempts to balance individual autonomy with cooperation because we need both.
It's an offering, an idea, but of course it's not the only way and we're not stuck. There are many roads to a goal and we're open to hearing what any interested collaborators might think or dream of.
We've learned that bylaws are something that can be changed.
Undoubtedly, the most important part is teaming with folks going towards the same goal.
Affordable Homeowning Plan:
A 19 acre parcel of forest inholding gets three house sites. We'll call them domains. We have one, so there are two more domains for sale.
Each domain has one permitted house that may be designed, constructed and owned by (individual or family/group, a family group being defined by consensus of its members). In addition to the permitted house, each family could build additional units on their domain according to County Code, such as an “in-law unit” or tiny house under 200 sq. ft. needing no permit, or a barn, greenhouse, workshop, etc. that may need minimal design permits. (We're fortunate we can build our own vermicomposting toilets here. But that's another forum)
60-70k per lot and we’d break even with a little left to reinvest in building, so that's our goal. But we can negotiate to a certain point. The main thing is getting 85k in the leinholder’s hands asap and keeping our head above water. The domain we occupy is 3 or 4 acres. Our plan is to build a permitted house to be a common house for the benefit of all involved. We've been camping for way too long and also intend to build a couple of private tiny houses on our domain.
So can you see how it could be an affordable way to have land that's the best of both worlds, private and cooperative? If each private domain is between 2 and 4 acres then we all share an additional 7 to 11 acres of common forest and riparian land, beyond the private domains. If you’re a family/group with a few members you could share the cost of your private domain making it even more affordable. So bring your mom. For instance, a group of three adults could have three tiny houses on one domain and share a larger permitted house so the cost of the domain being between 60 and 70k split 3 ways=20 or 23k each. So for that, plus construction costs, you’d have your own house and a shared house, a private domain of 2-4 acres and 11 or so more acres of common forest land shared with 2 other families. A steal! Also shared with the 2 other families is the infrastructure and any of those costs (mostly one-time with some maintenance); like the bridge (no cost), some road improvement, water lines, maybe electric lines..sharing that also makes it more affordable. And don't forget we already have our first forestry grant and there could be more...those are funds for us domain-dwelling forester/cooperators to tend the forest.
Zillow lists this land value at 129k. Our neighbor on the other side of the creek is selling 5 acre lots for $140k. This land is far more diverse, interesting, beautiful, with much better soil, much more private, with creek, a bridge, a backdoor to seemingly infinite miles of gated, non-motorized roads going all the way up to the Olympic National Forest. Most of the neighbor's lots have no creek access and it was all recently corporate-planted timberland, where this parcel has been only homestead land. So comparatively, what a great deal.
A domain is not a County-approved subdivision, it’s defined by internal agreement (contracts) of homeowners with their nonprofit. A domain would be considered private land with an indefinite lease from the nonprofit, and would be the sole responsibility of the homeowner family/group.
Each homeowner family could suggest the size and specific boundaries of its domain… domains are privacy and responsibility too.
The remaining land is shared, held in common by the nonprofit and managed cooperatively.
We think cooperatives are a great way to manage a shared business or activity and the forestry could be like a side business for whoever wanted to participate.
The secret of the domain/house design is clustering houses along the road. Clustering is the word the County wants to see to keep the taxes low because it maximizes the acres kept in forestry. In this case our road is an old railroad grade and it’s possible to arrange houses along the grades so it's efficient with a light footprint for fragile forest soil and also gives each house maximum privacy. This is something best seen in person and with maps.
In fact, wouldn’t it be great for the coming new cooperators to host a PDC on the land to co-create a Permaculture design?
Along that line, wouldn't it be a great way to build houses, to host natural building courses...hire a teacher, students can camp in beautiful spots near the creek, we can put up an outdoor kitchen... But I digress.
The parcel of land is titled to a nonprofit because there are advantages for a group sharing land ownership, especially for things like liability, indemnity and insurance, but also to get, and keep, grant funding for all kinds of projects.
Each family/group would be represented on the Board of Directors, would own their homes and structures (unless, by agreement, a structure is to be shared) and lease their domains from the nonprofit indefinitely. If a homeowner sells their house, the land lease would continue for the new owner.
In Hawai’i they use a real estate term called “ag hui” that functions similar to this (with important differences), i.e. several families sharing one large agricultural land, each with their own private house site and boundaries but sharing costs of access roads, electric lines and water pipes. In the case of Hawai’i, it’s a way to carve up traditional ag land for profit. In our case, the intention is to demonstrate design that DOESN’T carve up the land, it's lighter footprint than subdividing and integrates human habitation harmoniously with surrounding forest. A significant difference in our plan is establishing some of the land as open/undeveloped/common and managed cooperatively.
So 1. the common land and 2. the shared infrastructure those are the overlap for cooperators. Other than that it's privacy and autonomy on the domains. It's owned by a nonprofit that's made up of the owners. That part make sense?
FORESTRY
Does your heart beat for trees? Do you thank forests when you breathe? We humans have learned a lot of amazing things about forests in the past few decades. We’ve learned it took 600 million years for forests to establish themselves and turn carbon dioxide into oxygen so current life could proliferate. We learned it took 6,000 years to destroy most of the global forests and most of that was done in the last few decades. We know that trees make oxygen from carbon dioxide and since we have a big problem with that we absolutely know that trees are the biggest most dependable solution for the climate emergency, if we want to continue breathing that is. We’ve learned about mycelium and microorganisms and aerosols, Biodiversity and Mother Trees and canopies and so much more. Climate and Forest Science are running neck and neck with the Sixth Mass Extinction. If you’re motivated to do something serious about it, this could be your calling.
The forestry possibilities here are infinite and exciting. The soil is rich, deep and vibrantly alive. The aspect is southern slope of the Olympic Peninsula. It’s mostly rich loamy black glacial flat-land but the north boundary is a dramatic edge, the first rise of the Olympic mountains and we all know the dynamic nature of edges…this one parcel has so much diversity, and vibrancy, so many amazing features…including species diversity, it feels enormous. It’s a fast-growing regenerating temperate rainforest.
One of the BIG reasons we chose this place is the sheer abundance of trees, extra that can be used for construction. There are almost 4 acres of plantation-hybrid fast-growing fir trees that could be slowly replaced with more beneficial species. They're big enough to build a log cabin or cordwood house with. And tons of alder that would benefit from a bit of thinning and an understory of hardwood coppicing trees too. It's awesome. It seems impossible to ever run out of firewood here. If you've ever lived anywhere with few or no trees, you'd appreciate the abundance. That's where building and forestry can support each other.
(We also cheer for rocket stove thermal mass heating and encourage using natural cements for waterproofing and fireproofing structures...but that's another forum)
Common forest land means that cooperators may share responsibility for design and implementation of forestry projects and profits. I figure it has to be voluntary to be any fun, and also cooperative.
We worked with the local Conservation District for 5 years to create a forest plan based on our ideas of Millennial Forestry, a blend of native and food forestry and arboretum of important food and medicine trees to the region, with a foundation of light footprint Permaculture design and no-till methods, and special respect for Mother Trees (about 60). We finally were awarded a 16k grant. It’s a pretty good perk for buying in on this deal, almost like a rebate. It comes in on-going payments. Besides this grant, being a nonprofit gives us the opportunity to raise more funding as well. Once you get your first grant, subsequent grants come easier.
Do you know of Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger? If you do, we are probably kindred spirits and you’ll understand why I promised to be her loyal ambassador and to make this land an arboretum like hers. If you don’t, please look her up, her books, movies, interviews, free app: calloftheforest.ca
She's a Living Treasure.
Brilliant Light.
Either way, we're hoping to find accomplices who value this mission, besides designing healthy, practical, delightful human habitat that harmonizes with forests, also creating an arboretum of threatened food and medicine trees important to this bioregion, to sequester maximum carbon and help all life even humans survive climate change and to help this forest become a seed bank of genetic diversity to help neighbors and surrounding forest lands to regenerate, (some fine day when corporations go away) and a million other reasons …
Besides forest, there's also riparian land to be shared. There are lovely campsites on both sides of the creek and the general campground could be expanded and improved depending on what folks want to do with it. It could be used to host courses, summer camps and seminars, or rented out for groups or as an equestrian or pack animal basecamp. We listed it on Hip Camp once and found it to be quite popular for overnight car campers. It's also just a nice place to hang out, have a campfire whatever, or for visitors and guests. It's kind of the heart of the land, a really sweet place, I imagine we'd want to find a balance of sharing it and perhaps using it for occasional events and profit-generation.
If you ponder it, I think you’ll realize how much easier and more possible it would be to acheive all that with a small dedicated team of cooperators as opposed to alone.
So we look forward to reading your reply posts and if you have any inkling of interest or know someone or... please contact us soon. Really soon!! Even if you’re intrigued but unsure, consider if you might be in a position to help somehow, to forestall the foreclosure… maybe you or someone you know could put some funds up to hold a domain until you’re ready, then if you change your mind, we can find someone else you can sell your domain to. The leinholder is a private individual who has the freedom to hold off foreclosing if he chooses, and he said he would if we find someone who is serious.
I can’t think of anything more valuable to invest in than forest land like this, with so many incredible features, perks, and opportunities.
It's definitely safer than putting it in a bank because land like this won't lose value, we'll always be able to sell a domain if we have enough time. Unless the whole economy crashes in which case you'll be happy to have it. It'll be worth more than gold.
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There’s a lot at stake here.. valuable food trees. Mother Trees. A pristine creek with beaver dams and spawning salmon. Biodiversity. Threatened species.… all shaking in their roots because they can sense the corporation’s tree-killing machine out there and they know…that same corporation wants them too…
But we have a different idea.
We’re determined to hang on and not let that happen.
Calling on Permies super-heroes!
Collaborators. Cooperators. Fellow Permies. Investors? Tooth Fairy!
It’s looming. The clock is ticking…
It’s hard to make big decisions fast under pressure so we’re open to options and ideas. Including a tooth fairy putting enough money under my pillow to keep our lein holder happy until (do tooth fairies make loans?) we can find a couple of similarly-motivated partner/collaborators who want to buy a forest lot and build a natural house in a regenerating forest, a millennial forest, a place on Earth so uniquely vital and abundant that if we have to, we can survive here...
Sharing similar ethics, principles, goals and methods is essential, that’s why we’re reaching out here, in the Permies community. This land with so much privacy would lend itself well to a variety of folks; Illegal grow ops run by Chinese mafia. Dystopian imaginations preparing for civil war, bomb shelters, target practice…but those aren’t a good match!
The most important thing about this is a matter of heart. The accomplices we seek are Permaculture enthusiasts nurturing that creative spark we get in a PDC from focusing, learning, designing, collaborating... that feeling you just can’t wait to get some land where you and some friends can lose yourself in the intriguing all-encompassing act of co-creating with nature’s guiding genius.
This is such a good place for that.
Here’s an easel, some paintbrushes, colors…
here’s some clean clear water, some rich fertile soil, a regenerating forest, interesting and useful tree species, a lot of freedom and privacy, a forestry grant, berries, fruit and nut trees, a truck, a family of well-trained and much-needed Forest Protector Dogs… and more. If you think building your own beautiful healthful house in a beautiful healthy forest sounds like a good thing to do with your life, this could be a dream-come-true for you.
You might want to invest in a domain now and think about it. That's cool too.
Or maybe you have another idea. Or a comment. I want to hear them all (be gentle)
I like the idea of a really cool campground so all the really cool people reading this can come and visit once we get it worked out.
I love the creativity of Permaculture People.
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