Land creation for commercial real estate development
I’m a newbie so pardon me if this question sounds dumb. So I have been thinking, when cutting down trees to create land for new development, doesn’t that pose as a threat to the environment? Like don’t the trees provide a great benefit to us?
[{"id": "ic75u7l", "text": "Yes.", "replies": [{"id": "ic76ppf", "text": "Yes. And also lots of research on this topic I believe. Google may be your friend on this one.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ic7hyf1", "text": "Yes, clear cutting trees on development sites is damaging to the environment. As is paving land (especially near natural drainage basins) as it creates semi-impermeable water barriers which increase flood risk (see Houston 2017). \n\nThis is one of many reasons why the most environmentally friendly thing a development can be is dense. If you can build a 40 storey tower that contains 250 units which can house ~500 people, that's drastically better for the environment than building a 150 house subdivision for the same number of people on a greenfield site with all the roads and infrastructure required to support it. \n\nUrban cores are also much more efficient to provide infrastructure to including transit which reduce car emissions compared to suburban areas.", "replies": [{"id": "ic7iurp", "text": "Understood. I thought as much", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ic7oyie", "text": "Pardon me if this sounds dumb....you may be in the wrong business.", "replies": [{"id": "ic7q7mi", "text": "How come?", "replies": [{"id": "ic810ci", "text": "Nah, asking questions is a good thing. Everyone starts somewhere. Environmentally friendly development is a good thing, and the more people that care about it, the better off we\u2019ll all be.", "replies": [{"id": "ic82y00", "text": "Thank you", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}, {"id": "ic830bb", "text": "Don\u2019t be a sick", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ic7t1uu", "text": "Yes.  How this change to the landscape and environment is handled will differ depending on where the development occurs.\n\nSome places have a 1-1 replacement requirement on trees cut down.  Some places have preservation ordinances requiring a certain percentage be left undisturbed.  \n\nYour question is so basic, it almost seems rhetorical.  Of course trees provide a benefit.  A good development also provides a benefit though, whether it\u2019s more housing or an economic boost to the community or whatever.\n\nThe whole point of real estate development is to reshape the land in a way to serve a specific highest and best use.  If you can\u2019t get past the destruction of natural environments, development probably isn\u2019t the right career for you.", "replies": [{"id": "ic83381", "text": "Understood. Thanks for your insight", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ic8kxyw", "text": "Having mature trees on home sites also provide value the buyers. \n\nDevelopers try to balance the needs of cutting down trees to clear the site for construction and keeping some trees to make the property more desirable.\n\nUnfortunately with today's high land prices, the motivation is to build McMansions on tiny lots that doesn't leave any room for mature trees.", "replies": [{"id": "ica0ctn", "text": "Thanks a lot for your insight", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]