Landscape Auction

[Carl Russell]

I am on the Board for a local organization, the White River Partnership. This summer we are going to be holding the 1st-in-the-US Landscape Auction. It is a concept developed in the Netherlands by the environmental firm Triple-E. By creating “items” from area farms private funds can be targeted to help support environmental services provided by sustainable land-use.

Earthwise Farm and Forest will be offering up opportunities to sponsor the development of intensive grazing systems, low-impact forest conversion, and day-long experiences including working with draft animals, slaughtering livestock, and intuitive/spiritual gardening.

Here is a link to a recent article and additional links to get more info.

http://www.7dvt.com/2010landscape-auction

Carl

[blue80]

Thanks Carl,

I’d also be interested in the work that has been done on the litigous side of a project like this, that being,
When an “item” is “purchased” is there an agreement written up that funds will be allocated to a certain project?
What “rights” does the donater/purchaser have towards land use etc. in the future.

I guess I am looking at such an auction as a great option for community to come together setting and working towards common goals. But say the person clearing the land for walking paths get hit by a bus and they never get established, how are possibilities like this being problem solved before they occur?
And sometimes there are bad apples around, who donate money and get upset that their (unreasonable) expectations weren’t met. What are methods to circumvent a problem such as this.

I like the landscape auction idea, for I have goals and dreams I can’t afford to complete; some due to time, some money, some intellect/ability….

Kevin

[Carl Russell]

The items are more adopted than purchased for one. The money is given to a third party, in this case WRP, to dole out as the project is completed. Many items will be set up with a 5-10 year maintenance window. Buy the shade of a large elm on a hedgerow of said farm, then visit to enjoy the shade, and then for a five year period, every successive year that the owner protects that shade (hedgerow-WL habitat), the NPO doles out a portion of that value. Sitting in the shade of the tree is a tangible value for the “purchaser”, but it really represents the intangibles that the owner protects and cultivates, but which traditionally do not contribute to the farm’s economic bottom line.

The folks from Triple-E say they can sell anything. Need a water pumping system to facilitate intensive rotational grazing? This will keep livestock out of waterways, protect water quality, and reduce erosion. Auction off the package of an intesive grazing system as environmental protection, and use the money to buy/build and water system.

I see this as bringing another layer to the buy local initiative. People love to buy produce from their community members, but the market for food restricts the ability to truly recapture the cost of environmental services. This way rural communities can tap into private wealth, and straight out describe the benefits we provide, and find people to step up and fund them. Oh yeah, the “purchases” are tax deductable….

Carl

[blue80]

I like the “donation” aspect I think that answers my questions.

Another offshoot to getting the private wealth distributed in the local community is another term popular as carbon credits. My brother just told me he is talking with local entities in S. Ontario about their purchasing carbon credits on his property, a forested plantation on a river. These are not government carbon credits, rather just using the term to encourage people to support local responsible green space. They are working out legalities to make things tax deductible, but so far, local town business people like lawyers, accountants, and doctors he has spoken with are feeling mighty green and environmentally warm fuzzy feeling with the ability to get a tax deductible donation which they will be able to see “grow” right next door… I guess some of these people voiced their frustrations that “they didn’t have logical tax deductible donations to make in their local community.” Wow, what you (and the Dutch) are doing seems like an untapped market!

Not sure if Wyoming cowboys will buy a shade tree on our farm, but we’ll definitely be thinking about options about getting some easterners help out:)

Kevin

[Joshua Kingsley]

This sounds like a really great way to have the community support agriculture and conservation. Neat Idea

Joshua

[Carl Russell]

blue80;17769 wrote:

……
Not sure if Wyoming cowboys will buy a shade tree on our farm, but we’ll definitely be thinking about options about getting some easterners help out:)

Kevin

Oh I hear you here. We have the same issue. These items are marketed to wealthy individuals, for the warm fuzzy feeling. Other items like spend a day with Kevin working his horses, might be more attractive to some locals, and you could use that money anyway you wanted. The shade tree example is only to show how wild the ideas can get. There may be a group of locals that would like to adopt your woods roads as possible public trails, paying you to keep them in great shape. The trick is to involve big money to really support those projects that require substantial investment and represent true services that are not supported by the farm’s bottom line, and to have smaller packages that are designed to be attractive to, and affordable for locals.

Thanks for the interest, Carl

[LStone]

@Carl Russell 17772 wrote:

Oh I hear you here. We have the same issue. These items are marketed to wealthy individuals, for the warm fuzzy feeling. Other items like spend a day with Kevin working his horses, might be more attractive to some locals, and you could use that money anyway you wanted. The shade tree example is only to show how wild the ideas can get. There may be a group of locals that would like to adopt your woods roads as possible public trails, paying you to keep them in great shape. The trick is to involve big money to really support those projects that require substantial investment and represent true services that are not supported by the farm’s bottom line, and to have smaller packages that are designed to be attractive to, and affordable for locals.

Thanks for the interest, Carl

@Carl Russell 17772 wrote:

The shade tree example is only to show how wild the ideas can get.

Yeah I agree with Carl that Ideas get wild. On various the futures exchanges there are contracts that trade on weather related issues such as heating days over under / Snowfall and rain amounts in a given month along with your usual corn, wheat, and heating oil contracts etc.

…People are crazy….

[Carl Russell]

The landscape auction is getting some good state-wide attention. Made it into the Burlington Free Press.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100718/NEWS02/100717004/Vermont-landscape-auction-links-city-and-country

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