To further its objective, The Trust may own land, raise monies and sponsor research, development and education in the field of sustainable development. At the present time, throughout North America, there is a turning away from the modern practices of development and developers, particularly as they express themselves in the typical suburban sprawl patterns. The Trust sponsors development based on the more traditional patterns of well defined towns and mixed neighborhoods. Within these patterns, a greater number of people can be accommodated at a higher quality of life, with a smaller consumption of land and a lesser impact on the environment. But continually, developers use land to either foster or inhibit community.
Land development establishes precedents for either destructive or friendly environmental practice.
In its developments, The Trust supports targeted reductions of water and energy use and reduced production of solid waste, air and water pollutants. Building a sustainable community is a highly complex process. Land planning which allows for a mixture of uses, local employment, walkability, reduced automobile dependency, and increased availability of transportation alternatives is essential to this strategy. The Trust's experience ranges from innovative infill and redevelopment projects to the creation of new sustainable communities. Financing If we are truly honest with ourselves, we must accept that sustainability in community development is simply not possible without profitability.