With all the environmental issues that have been brought to the forefront in Costa Rica recently, at least one gated community there is committed to ensuring the ecological impact it will have will be minimal.
Hacienda Matapalo, the most sought after gated community on Costa Rica’s South Pacific Coast, has remained in complete compliance with all of the environmental laws and regulations that are designed to protect the environment from any semblance of abuse.
"The recent news out of Costa Rica puts an exclamation mark on everything we have done from the very beginning," explained Hacienda Matapalo’s Executive Vice President Brian Albury. "Our goal from day one was to support sustainable development that guarantees that the South and Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica remain pristine and free from any man-made harm."
In recent weeks news has been flowing out of Costa Rica concerning a variety of environmental issues. On November 9th the country's legislative assembly voted unanimously to ban all new open pit metal mining projects in the country. There has been a major crack down on illegal shark finning as the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) and the Costa Rican Fisheries Institute closed private docks in Puntarenas on December 1st to foreign fishing vessels. And Randall Arauz, a key Costa Rican environmentalist, won Sweden’s prestigious Göteborg Award for 2010 for sustainable development.
"We needed to lead by example," Albury said, explaining how Hacienda Matapalo tasked key members of its development team with the sole purpose of implementing and maintaining extensive environmental stewardship before, during and after construction.
"It was and IS our goal to utilize the latest 'green' technology wherever possible without jeopardizing our commitment to deliver the highest standards to our homeowners. We believe that a balance and harmony with nature and our immediate environment will make Hacienda Matapalo a truly unique place to live."
As the property ramps up to resume its infrastructure construction with key strategic partner Su Casa Desarrollos de Vivienda S.A., the leading company of the Tu Hogar S.A. Real Estate Group, the management team at Hacienda Matapalo has made every effort to illustrate their ongoing commitment to the planet from sponsoring sea turtle protection programs to leading beach cleanup efforts to helping to replant the all important Costa Rica rainforests.
"One of the factors that has helped drive our efforts from the beginning to be a 'green,' low-impact development, is that our development is surrounded by a natural, lush rainforest," said Albury, adding, "not to mention a 125-plus acre dedicated nature preserve and 90 acre nature conservancy parcel."
The environmentally-conscious development will include an equestrian center, nature trails for hiking and horseback riding and even announced it will add a 500-plus foot treetop suspension bridge to its development that will stretch across a ravine along the property's nature preserve.
Some of Hacienda Matapalo's ongoing efforts include:
- Minimized clearing of the present land (dense forest to remain throughout constructed areas)
- A percentage ratio of 70:30 natural land to developed land (based on a total area of 665 acres)
- For every tree that must be removed, up to three trees will be planted as replacement
- There will be an onsite nursery
- There will be an onsite wastewater treatment plant
- Landscaping will consist of native species (reducing the need for water and fertilizer)
- Subterranean power and electrical lines will be used where feasible and strict safeguards will be in place to ensure above ground lines pose no threat to wildlife
- Recycling receptacles will be in place throughout the property, including an intensive recycling program
- Energy saving air-conditioning systems will be used
- A water agreement has been put into place to supply the nearby town of Hatillo with fresh drinking water
- Onsite lakes will serve as recession ponds, natural habitats and home for many native fish
- A biologist/naturalist with extensive knowledge of local flora and fauna will be on staff
- There will be ongoing communication and involvement with the homeowners and community (i.e. community awareness and social responsibility)
- Exploratory use of cutting-edge “green” technology will constantly be considered throughout development and construction
Albury pointed out that Hacienda Matapalo will utilize environmentally friendly goods for many of its external building materials including: use of concrete which contains post-consumer materials, siding and external finishes that contain post-consumer materials, low or no volatile organic compounds (VOC) finishes/paints/adhesives, sustainable and locally farmed woods and materials, pervious or permeable pavers/materials for walkways and parking, recycled materials for roofing and materials that drain well and do not hold moisture or heat.
In a relatively short period of time, Hacienda Matapalo has become Costa Rica's premier planned gated community thanks to both the knowledge of its executive team and due diligence as performed by its strategic legal, engineering and ecological partners. Unlike their competition, this extraordinary attention to detail has enabled the Hacienda Matapalo team to protect both its investment and investors and rewrite the standards by which successful communities in Costa Rica are planned.
"Our CEO David Matluck chalks up a lot of our success to long-term planning, extensive due diligence and proper engineering," Albury said of an upcoming article Matluck wrote for the development’s latest community newsletter. "And when you have a commitment to the environment like we do, you can expect nothing less."
To learn more about Hacienda Matapalo, visit their Web site at http://haciendamatapalo.com.
