New approaches to land development seek to balance environmental protection with economic return. Much of this focus is on the design and construction of development projects. This emphasis can help reduce the environmental impact of development, but environmental compliance issues often extend beyond a project's build-out phase.

A Community Stewardship Organization (CSO) is one tool that can be used to address the long-term impact of development. CSOs help bring together diverse interests to address a range of environmental and community issues associated with a proposed project. What make CSOs unique?

1. The dedicated funding they receive to carry out a variety of purposes within and beyond the development project.

2. Their focus on stewardship after the development is completed and the developer is gone.

Through presentations, case studies, and facilitated discussions, this course provides the knowledge and tools needed to assess the feasibility of, and plan for the establishment of a CSO as part of a development plan. Course participants learn how to:

- Assess the feasibility of creating CSOs

- Integrate CSOs as part of an overall environmental compliance strategy

- Prepare the legal documents required to establish CSOs

- Identify the funding mechanisms to underwrite CSOs

- Educate stakeholders about the value of CSOs as part of a conservation-oriented development strategy

The course will be held at Prairie Crossing in Grayslake, Illinois, outside of Chicago, on September 18-20, 2005. The course opens with a reception and dinner on Sunday, September 18, hosted by the Sonoran Institute and Prairie Crossing. The course begins the following day and includes a tour of the Preserve. The course ends early Tuesday afternoon, September 20. Breakfast and lunch are provided on September 19-20.

Participants receive a manual on establishing CSOs providing specific guidance and lessons learned on this innovative conservation and development tool, based on a decade of collective experience in creating CSOs.

Target audience includes developers, builders, lenders, planners, elected officials, and others concerned with large-scale development in environmentally sensitive areas.

There is a $750 registration fee for each course participant

Related Link: http://www.sonoran.org/programs/si_cso_events.html

For more information contact:

John Shepard
Sonoran Institute
7650 E Broadway #203
Tucson
AZ 85710
United States

Phone: 520.290.0828
Fax: 520.290.0969
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sonoran.org