For decades, this land was part of the Deseret Ranch. And under the superb management of the ranch, the land flourished. It just made sense that if you wanted your cattle to thrive, you would do whatever you could to help the environment thrive.
In Tavistock, Deseret Ranch felt it had found a kindred spirit: an organization with a near-obsessive approach to planning and a deep sense of responsibility for Central Florida.
our promise
At Sunbridge, we’re committed to the vision of a community that lives in harmony with nature — that embraces the call to do more for our wildlife, water and climate. It’s a big promise. Which is why we’re working in partnership with the Sustainable Floridians Benchmarking and Monitoring Program at the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Life Soils, The Nature Conservancy, Toho Water Authority, Cherrylake and the OUTSIDE Sustainable Landscapes Collaborative in five key areas:
Water quality preservation
To protect our chain of lakes and the whole watershed, we’ve instituted a program of continual monitoring of our water resources and implemented management and landscape practices, as well as other solutions, that support the unique ecosystem of Sunbridge.
Water resource conservation
With a list of strategies, from maintaining natural water systems to landscaping with native species, we plan to reduce our average per-person water consumption well below that of the typical community.
Renewable energy & efficiency
The homes and buildings of Sunbridge are being held to a high standard of energy efficiency. And we’re investigating how we might produce renewable energy at scale to further offset consumption. It just makes sense.
Ecological preservation
Healthy ecosystems are diverse ecosystems. In Sunbridge, we’re creating and protecting habitats that encourage biodiversity. Which will also enhance the beauty of the whole community.
Community engagement
Acting as true stewards of the land is a job as big as the land itself. So we’re engaging residents and other partners with educational programs, fun events and volunteer opportunities.
digging for treasure
A huge oak tree is one of nature’s most valuable works of art. That’s why we’re in the course of preserving and relocating over 150 mature trees. The whole process, from selection to pruning to digging and relocating, can take well over a year. But it’s worth it.
