PARADISE VALLEY, Mont., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Green no longer exclusively describes the lush summer landscape of Ameya Preserve, a 11,000-acre development located in the Upper Yellowstone region of Montana. Through a partnership with America's leading conservation non-profit The Conservation Fund, Ameya Preserve has announced its plans to be the first major real estate development to "Go Zero" by offsetting the carbon emissions of its residents.
In order to accomplish this feat, Ameya Preserve will protect and reforest 1,700 acres of agricultural land in rural North Dakota and plant thousands of native trees, which will absorb enough carbon dioxide to "zero out" carbon emissions estimated to originate from Ameya Preserve.
"Despite developing less than 10 percent of our 11,000 acres of pristine land, we know that even our 300 home sites will inevitably impact the environment," said Wade Dokken, founder of Ameya Preserve. "Our philosophy dictates that when taking from the land, we must continue to make efforts to give back."
Through the partnership, The Conservation Fund will act as advisors to Ameya Preserve and make recommendations as to the most efficient and effective plan for planting trees and managing the property in North Dakota. In addition, The Conservation Fund will direct Ameya Preserve's community stewardship organization, created to preserve and maintain more than 80 percent of the property's 11,000 acres in perpetuity for generations to come.
"We applaud Ameya Preserve's leadership and its commitment to offsetting the carbon footprint of its residents," said Larry Selzer, president of The Conservation Fund. "In addition to making a significant contribution to address climate change and restore wildlife habitat, Ameya Preserve is setting the standard for future eco-friendly developments."
The Conservation Fund utilizes a simple formula to project the estimated amount of carbon dioxide produced from the daily lives of Ameya Preserve residents. The actual process of carbon sequestration involves capturing carbon dioxide, which is one of the most destructive greenhouse gases -- in forests, soils, and other carbon "sinks." Planting trees is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to sequester carbon. As they grow, trees absorb carbon dioxide.
Aspen-based Design Workshop, a leading environmental land planning firm, will collaborate with Ameya Preserve and The Conservation Fund to design the placement of the trees within the 1,700 acres of North Dakota farmland.
Ameya Preserve's "Go Zero" initiative is completely voluntary, with no added tax to its residents.
About Ameya Preserve
Ameya Preserve is a new low-density, environmentally sensitive vacation home community located in the Upper Yellowstone region of Montana. Bordering the Yellowstone River and Absaroka Mountains to the east, Yellowstone National Park to the south, the Gallatin National Forest to the west, and boasting the 8,000 foot elevation of the Wineglass Mountain to the north, Ameya Preserve sits on 11,000 acres, of which less than 1000 will be developed to create a village core surrounded by approximately 300 luxury residences and world-class amenities. The remaining 10,000-plus acres will be set aside or used as open space in tribute to a new residential and environmental paradigm of land preservation. To learn more, please visit www.ameyapreserve.com.
About The Conservation Fund
The Conservation Fund is the nation's foremost environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting America's land and water legacy for current and future generations. Seeking innovative conservation solutions for the 21st century, the Fund works to integrate economic and environmental goals. Since its founding in 1985, the Fund has helped its partners safeguard wildlife habitat, working landscapes, community "greenspace," and historic sites totaling more than 5.5 million acres nationwide. With 1 percent fundraising costs and 96 percent program allocation, The Conservation Fund is recognized as the nation's top rated environmental nonprofit by both the American Institute of Philanthropy and Charity Navigator. Please visit www.conservationfund.org for more information.
About Go Zero
As part of its Climate Change Program, The Conservation Fund launched Go Zero to engage people around the world -- companies, communities and individuals -- in the effort to combat global warming. Simply put, Go Zero measures the carbon dioxide emissions of virtually any slice of life, including home energy use, auto and air travel. The Conservation Fund then offsets that impact on climate change by planting trees, which absorb tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide as they grow. These newly created forests do more than just address global warming -- they leave a lasting legacy by restoring important wildlife habitat, enhancing outdoor recreation areas and improving air and water quality. Through this program, the Fund has protected more than 25,000 acres and planted five million trees, which will sequester nearly seven million tons of carbon dioxide over the next 100 years. To learn more about The Conservation Fund's Go Zero program, please visit www.gocarbonzero.org.