Eco-Plan: Community Ecological Planning and Sustainable Design (2011)

164 pages.

Our choice. We can follow the flock of sheep or we can soar with the eagles. Eagles have sharp eyesight, are extremely powerful and fast, and exhibit a keen sense of freedom that has become a lasting metaphor in our culture. I am convinced most of us want to be eagles but we have a fear of flying.

The eagle is nature as we are nature. We are part of the intricate web of life that weaves itself through the land, water and air around us. The eagle knows its place in nature. Judging by our actions, we don’t seem to realize that we are dependent on nature and the sensitive ecological systems associated with it. Without these life-giving systems we will perish. Simple and tragic. We can either seek balance and harmony, or we can exploit and see our own demise. These are choices we can make not only for ourselves but for our children.

This handbook is for aspiring eagles. We want to create individuals who want to soar above it all and reach higher ground. Individuals, who with new insights, will act alongside nature with reverence and vision. The development results on the ground will prove out the axiom that good ecological planning makes superior economic sense. Come fly with the eagles and discover the sacred balance we are all searching for in our hearts.

After working on this handbook for more than ten years, the principles and applications remain the same. What I am increasingly becoming aware of is that sustainability is not enough. We have to do more to heal, energize, and respect our planet. This handbook is to guide that next level of effort.