Tammy Navarre
Developer
Lakeland, TennesseeBuilding with Trees Increases Home Sales
When developer Tammy Navarre walked through the hardwood forest that was to become a 124-unit residential area called The Grove at Lakeland, she knew it was special. "I had seen how some developers clearcut before they build and I didn't like that approach," says Tammy.
Instead, the natural resources director for the City of Lakeland has actively supported developing new properties around forestland, and Tammy has benefited enormously from the initiative. "We worked as a team," she said. "We designed roads to avoid those sites and protected them with conservation easements. We also designed based on the existing topography. We want to partner with nature, not disrupt it."
Were it not for the city's support of conservation and forested land, Tammy would not have realized the degree of success she did on the property. About 45 percent of the development is green space, complete with recreational trails and a pond. "My phone never stopped ringing," says Tammy. "I believe that trees and designing around nature are what made buyers flock to this area."