An Outstanding Eco-Village & Permaculture Investment Opportunity Draft ~Feedback?

Discussion in 'General chat' started by Ppermiez, Apr 16, 2014.

  1. Ppermiez

    Ppermiez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2014
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Hello folks

    Id like to get feedback on this draft of a proposal to form an eco village in the philippines. Dropbox link with the nice jungle photos included

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/8kgh7khe9v8ndxg/An Outstanding Permaculture Eco Village.doc

    Plan: To create a Permaculture designed Eco-village, Food forest eco system, maximize yields and use the site as a major permaculture demo site/training center and teaching resource for the Philippines.

    Location: Asturias, San Isidro Barangay. Just over 1 hour drive (72 minutes ) from Cebu City, Philippines

    Exchange rate 12th April 2014: 1 AUD = 41.8 PHP/ 1 USD = 44.4 PHP ( Philippine Pesos )

    Wet Tropical Rural Land: 2 connecting parcels each being 5 hectares,
    10 hectares in total. Orientation of land is North West to South East

    Expansion: Further expansion of another 20 hectares adjacent to the properties for an additional $67,500/ 3 Million PHP Philippine Pesos. The additional land would bring the total area to approximately 30 hectares, allowing for larger scale yields and returns.

    Individual Investment: 9 remaining spots to buy a 1 hectare house and land for $7,800 each ( 1st spot reserved ) Price per house and land per square metre/acre: 78 cents per square metre or $3120 USD per acre!



    Cost of overall investment: Land $45,000 USD/ 2 million PHP Philippine Pesos Plus 56% for closing costs/siteworks/expenses/building: Total $70,200 USD

    ( 7.5% ($3375) closing costs with 48.5% ($21,825) for basic siteworks/expenses and building costs for the 10 individual lots)

    Broken down it comes to $5,000 for your 1 hectare of land, plus $2800 for your building/water harvesting/site works and other expenses or $7800 in total

    ($2800 for each investor is for site works/expenses/construction materials and buildings/water harvesting of swales/dams etc)

    Cost for individual investor: $7800 USD for 1 hectare in Eco Village with Basic Sustainable Tropical Hut with Compost toilet, Rainwater fed Shower and Kitchen.

    Summary: These two five hectare connecting parcels lie in a beautiful, almost pristine jungle, with rich 6 inch black topsoil in the valleys, and rocky limestone slopes on the hills. Close to Asturias town, 5 minutes from beaches, 10 minutes from major malls, hospitals, convenience stores and markets. 15,000 trees on

    inventory, including Lactan Banana, Jackfruit, Coconut, Jemaline, Mahogany and many natives. Onsite resources include an underground spring fed by a major river that lies 50 metres away from the southern border of the land, and limestone quarry resources with an estimator valuation of approximately $32 million USD within 10 mountains.

    Plan:

    A) To design and ethically develop the land with maximum permaculture yields and outputs, with minimal inputs and energy, and create an abundant, thriving sustainable eco-village, used as a model to create more Permaculture villages
    B) To maximize surplus permaculture yields in the immature agricultural and food market of the Philippines, maximize local and export sale income and foods/medicines, processed products, and other
    C) Preserve native forestry and resources and develop the land to its greatest natural and native beauty
    D) Create the most positive impactful permaculture teaching and training demo site in the most close-to-city location.
    E) Maximize eco-tourism/accommodation and ethical income opportunities for our eco-villagers/investors.

    Permaculture and Income Opportunities:

    A) To design and ethically develop the land with maximum permaculture yields and outputs, with minimal inputs and energy, and create an abundant, thriving sustainable eco-village, with maximum benefit to the local community.

    1) The Philippines government and major international aid and financial organizations are actively investing large sums of money, and supporting Agri-tourism as a major source of income, tourism, employment and positive change within the country. Local governments are actively seeking foreign investment and positive benefits to their community from these kinds of projects

    2) the site features sea views, large slopes and approx. 100m high hillsides located only 4 km from the beach, with the slopes all directed towards central valleys and gulleys, ideal for large-scale water catchment with high-yield protein and aquaculture yields, great eco-tourism potential, accommodation, sustainable energy production from hydro/wind/solar power. The hills naturally shelter and protect the valley from typhoons and major weather events. Slopes can be designed to create attractive waterfalls, trompe-generated compressed air systems, and high yields with all elements. The abundance of native vegetation makes it ideal to develop and identify yields from native Filipino species.

    3) The land is conveniently located just over 1 hour from Cebu, which would


    make it the closest Permaculture and Eco village site to a major urban center, within the Philippines, possibly in most of South East Asia

    4) Local labor is affordable and rates start from 150 PHP per day/ $3.40 USD per day, with opportunity to explore new rewards systems, e.g. provide income or yield shares to laborers. These labor resources allows for a great many Permaculture projects to be developed at low cost while at the same time providing very valuable education and skills to the locals.

    B) To maximize surplus permaculture yields in the immature agricultural and food market within the Philippines, maximize local and export sale income of foods/medicines and processed products. Many common vegetables and fruits are not readily available in the cities, and are sold at higher than western prices at around $4.50/$5 USD per kilo and much higher, including Brocolli, Lemons, Grapes, Cabbages, Lettuce, Apples, and many other fruits and vegies, some common ones not being available.

    1) The geography of the large hillsides and slopes all center upon major valleys and gulleys. Ideal for making large dams/lakes/waterways for high income aquaculture and eco-tourism; including farming various breeds of freshwater fish such as Silver Perch, Eels, mussels, shrimps, Oyster and Pearl farming, and associated freshwater algae ( chlorella/spirulina~supplements ) and aquatic plants ( water chestnut/water spinach/lotus ) with the freshwater algae /plants being used as very nutritious land mulch/forage for animals.

    Aquatic sources of protein in the country start at $4.50 per kilo and up

    Trellice: The large central valley waterways would support a large scale over-water trellice food production, that could be easily harvested with a small boat.
    Poultry: The large fertile lands and abundance of natural insect life would support a large amount of poultry farming, including ducks and chickens. The chickens could be used in movable pens to create grid-system mulch feeding and prepare the ground for food forests.

    Food forest: A large food forest on the slopes of the hills could grow a large variety of high yielding tropical fruits. Including Durian, Mango, Cacao, Pineapple, Banana, Coconut, Gaivano and more. If the slope cannot handle the tree than the valley will.

    Logistics: Two access points on at the northern point of the parcel 1, and the wide souther access road a southern boundary of parcel 2 provides easy access. And onsite logistics could be managed with a simple rope and pulley trolley or some kind of similar slope delivery system, that would bring mulch/manures from algae/aquatic plants/animals from the lower valley up, and fruits and food yields from the upper valley down, or vice versa. Tops of the hills can manage animals and grazing, and have manures travelling down the slope and fertilizing the food forest slope and enriching the swales/water with organic matter.

    Delicious tropical fruits and gourmet products: Frozen desserts, Sauces, Ice

    cream, Chocolates or other Raw organic delicassies can be developed for export or local sale.
     
  2. Ppermiez

    Ppermiez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2014
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Part 2

    c) Preserve native forestry and resources and develop the land to its greatest natural and native beauty.
    Potential: Waterfalls, Ohana hawaiian style slope garden/terrace systems on slope, with pristine untouched forest at the top, leading down to working timber, down to food forests with managed streams, freshwater ponds, feeding down to vegie and herb gardens next to the village homes. Special emphasis would be on intelligent water management and diversion on slope, feeding the entire hillside and food forest with large bodies of water and organic matter. There is also potential for creating terrace-style chinampas which combine fish and trellis production or waterplant production. The millions of cubic metres of limestone @ 500 PHP/$11.30 per m3, could in turn create interesting caves/tunnel/underground features or accomodation that would be a big tourism drawcard. Of course native varieties would be identified and developed for their potential, uncovering new yields and eco-system interconnections

    d) Create the most positive impactful permaculture teaching and training demo site in the most close-to-city location.
    Current damage: Much of the philippines forest has been or is being slash and burn cleared or damaged with inefficient farming and grazing systems (Only 3.2 percent of total rainforest has been left*) and overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Local agricultural methods are inefficient and destructive, with an


    opportunity to show superior Permaculture-based methods and harvesting of multiple yields and eco-systemic resources.
    -Permaculture/Garden based education centre and school. Proven by award winning teacher Michael Becker ( Hood River Middle School*) that this innovative sytem is far more superior to traditional educational curicculum
    -Demonstrate sustainable living through Eco-village building, waste disposal, land use and development. Income from additional eco-village developments
    -Prove the superior yields of a Permaculture designed Eco-sytem and land use and educate locals on Permaculture techniques and strategy
    -Natural pest management/fertilization/products and demo/export
    -Case study based ‘in-field’ hands on Permaculture training. Woof’ing/Student/Hostel/Youth accomodation/Events
    -Aid work and social change. Plastic burning and disposal is a large problem in SE Asia and solutions need to be applied. Permaculture can lift people from poverty and provide much need employment in the country at local level
    -Long term income yields for locals. Show the long term passive income opportunities for locals from sustainable systems. One fruit tree can give 1000 years of abundance as an example.


    E) Maximize eco-tourism/accomodation and ethical income opportunities for our the Eco-villagers/Investors

    Permaculture:

    Eco-village:


    The Australian Beareau of Statistics has shown that out of all industries, Building is the one industry that has most to gain from innnovation, and yet is the last industry to apply it. This trend is common throughout the world with wasteful and obsolete building methods. A great paradigm shift must happen before people start living sustainable lives, and one of the best ways is in the development of Eco-villages. The untapped and unlimited income potential from Eco-village development is waiting to be ethically harnessed and applied, combatting the serious problems of soil erosion, deforestation, pollution, while at the same time providing great financial and other forms of abundance and yield for those ethical pioneers!

    The planned Eco-village investment lot would feature a basic tropical style nippa hut or large teepee style dwelling, made out of bamboo, living plant or vine, thatch, onsite limestone and/or other sustainable materials, with a compost toilet, rainwater fed shower and kitchen as standard. Materials would be acquired from 2nd hand sources where possible to keep costs low. The eco-villager can of course choose to develop something more luxurious, as long as the overall ethical standards of Permaculture are applied. Potential for underground homes, limestone dome homes or other sustainable materials can be explored.

    Each lot would contain approximately 1 hectare, being 10,000 square metres or 2.5 acres in size, which allows for privacy, and yet is designed with community spirit and lifestyle in mind. The houses will be designed with solar and energy efficiency positioning based on sun angles and shadow, as well as positioned in the ideal area on the keyline of the slope for gravity fed water, after the slope

    shifts from the hillside. Swales will be developed above the homes for gravity fed water and garden needs.

    The eco-villagers will be expected to donate a small portion of their individual lots towards communal food or timber forestry, as well as community market area/recreation area. With right of way given to all parts of the waterways, communal areas and other spaces as designed.

    Onsite Resources:
    A) Estimator valued Limestone quarry valued @ approximately $32,000,000 USD
    B) Underground spring water that is available at ground level during the wet season, fed by the hillsides and river. Clean water now at a premium and costs more than refined petrol
    C) Excellent slopage for large scale water harvesting systems, with an abudance for onsite needs or surplus that can be onsold at local level or more profitably: ethically bottled and onsold.
    D) 15,000 catalogued trees including Timber, Fruit, Medicinal, Native, Leguminous and other
    E) Nearby clay resources for dam building and construction
    F) Seller has earth moving equipment, dozers etc and is willing to assist in the project

    Legal Structures:
    It has been suggested to structure the Eco-village with a local sole prioprietor company as the sponsor, and all Eco-villagers create an internationally binding

    contractual agreement with the local sponsor. Each investor maintains a 10% Stakeholdership in the local company, and retains control and power of attorney in regards to the land. Other possibilities will be explored on the community level to maximize legal protection and proerty rights. All paperwork and certified copies of important documents have been inspected by a trusted impartial lawyer and she may be contacted for further details.

    Due diligence:
    Currently I have visited the local municipality assessor’s office, inspected the deed of sale, tax documents and other paperwork, seen evidence that all taxes are paid for, and will be visiting the landsite with the local mayor to discuss the land and any potential problems.
     
  3. Ppermiez

    Ppermiez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2014
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Part 3

    Challenges

    Rubbish site: About 500 metres away from the northern parcel is a small rubbish collection site, with children foraging within it. This site can be developed as demonstration site with a Permaculture solution towards plastic and rubbish recycling, whether it be high temperature incineration, recycling into the oil composites, or biodegradable breakdown. This would be a much needed and valuable demonstration towards better management of rubbish and plastic, which throughout SE Asia is regularly burned and creates great quantities of pollution. The rubbish in this site is not burned




    Access: A northern access road to the northern parcel must be applied for, but will likely be granted. Otherwise there will be a joining path 10m by 4m bulldozed between the sites by the seller, as stipulated in the sale contract

    River: The river water needs to be pumped uphill, but the seller has offered to build a Ram pump as long as materials are supplied. This will be stipulated in the sales contract

    Corruption:
    This can be a problem, but from a national to a local level, steps are being taken to tackle corruption, and at the same time the far-greater benefits of permaculture and eco-village development are appreciated. It is accepted

    throughout the country that Agri-tourism and Permaculture development only benefits local communities and contributes to politicians receiving votes and support.

    Other opportunities

    Retirement destination
    The Philippines is recognized as a major retirement destination, with an estimate of some 300,000 American expats, as well as thousands of other nationalities making the Philippines their home. Some commonly quoted benefits include a much lower cost of living, excellent access to quality healthcare and dentistry, a warm sunny climate, endless attractions and things to do, and especially the friendly, warm and hospitable people

    Tourism is on the rise
    In 2013 Tourism arrivals rose by nearly 10%, with revenues from tourism up 15% to 4.4 Billion*. Being in several countries in South East Asia, I strongly believe that the Philippines has the greatest overall tourism appeal, low cost of living and retirement potential, attractions and feel confident it will see the greatest growth in tourism out of most other countries in South East Asia in the next ten years. Ask any foreign visitor and usually they tell you Philippines is their favorite spot.

    Progressive forward thinking government
    The government is committed to tackling the corruption problems and attracting much needed foreign investment and business, to address the high employment, poverty and social issues. The joint local and overseas NGO promotion of Agri-tourism development is strong evidence for Permaculture and ethical development, from the highest national and international levels

    Excellent location for startups and offshore business
    Low cost of labour and a skilled, english speaking workforce, combined with widespread access to affordable, high speed Internet, makes the Philippines an ideal place for a startup business or enterprise

    Less regulation and beauracracy
    There is far less regulation in teh Philippines in many areas of society, compared to the over-regulated Western world, and is typically under-regulated vs the difficulty of over-regulation. Over-regulation and the associated high development costs have been a major obstacle to the formation of Eco-villages and Permaculture projects across the world

    Further Ethical developments with Affordable land
    The land market in the Philippines is unsophisticated and under regulated at this point, with use being very inefficient, making it the ideal time to ethically invest and develop at the lowest price point and risk level, and develop further Eco-villages and Permaculture projects and create all the associated benefits and yields. Eco village and Permaculture development will likely be an essential part in stopping the rampant soil erosion and deforestation of this beautiful tropical eco-system.


    References:

    Deforestation in the Philippines
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_the_Philippines

    Award winning Permaculture-based Education and Schooling
    https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/881

    Tourism on the rise
    https://www.philstar.com/business/2014/02/14/1290066/tourism-revenues-rise-15-4.4b-2013

    https://globalnation.inquirer.net/9...rist-arrivals-rise-nearly-10-despite-diasters
     
    frivtn100 likes this.
  4. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,925
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    0
    So only 2 sites on offer to start with. What size community are you ultimately hoping for? How will you decide who gets to join the community and who doesn't?
     
  5. Ppermiez

    Ppermiez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2014
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I would be most happy with the size of the Eco village being just below "Benevolent world domination" level, but will accept progressive stages of successive growth starting from small land parcels and growing in stages. Id really like it to be a role model to provide alternatives to the slash and burn and mono-culture chemical agribusiness practices in the tropics, and show the benefits of forests and natural farming. The land in question was about 10 hectares so I think a large enough size for a decent eco-village as well as permaculture farm...

    Looks like this particular land project might not go ahead, so im using this more as an example of a proposal to present to stakeholders. Ive since networked with a Dr who has his own reforestation project ( very interesting man who is planting native types of hardwood and experimenting with other varieties ) and will introduce me to a director of the government forestry and reserves government agency next week, where we may gain access to land for long periods with no money, in a natural reserve area, so that is very exciting. In terms of that project that will probably involve less money and more on the ground work, but potentially very rewarding in both environmental and permacultural benefits, as well as high product yields in a fertile tropical area in the mountains. All within about 30 minutes of the major city of Cebu, so very high potential yields all across the board and with a variety of land-yield strategies..e.g. Eco tourism, eco accommodation, eco village development, natural building methods, workshops, training, etc etc ...so at the moment the criteria for joining is mainly being here and being adventurous enough to get in touch and join in on the excitement :)

    Peter Greg
     
    frivtn100 likes this.
  6. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,925
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    0
    My understanding of the factors that determine success or failure in intentional communities is that it is relationships, relationships and relationships. You need to think about some governance issues to ensure that people know what is expected of how they relate to one another from day one.
     
    frivtn100 likes this.
  7. drewbarr

    drewbarr New Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2014
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Ecovillage in Phillipines

    Hi - don't know much about these developments, but want to find out more. Is there a FB page or similar that I can like?




     
  8. Lev Freedman

    Lev Freedman New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2016
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Gender:
    Male
    Climate:
    Many
    any updates? This sounds interesting....
     

Share This Page

-->