The design process of Bundoran Farm begins, and ends, with the land. Productive farmlands and environmental rich areas, and public viewsheds are identified, catalogued and evaluated in order make sure that the use, scenic beauty and rural character of the land is preserved.
The existing roads, paths, and trails were located, studied and whenever possible, incorporated into the road system of the Farm. The end result is roads that "lay lightly on the land" and
minimal soil disturbance.
The land of Bundoran Farm is an iconic image of Albemarle County. A top priority is to protect the visual character of this landscape. A series of studies where undertaken to fully understand what people see and experience as they travel along the pastures and meadows of Bundoran
Farm.
Large, contiguous areas of productive farmland are essential to maintaining the local economy, culture and landscape. Bundoran Farm’s large pastures and orchards not only help to enable more efficient agricultural operations, they also enable the creation of the primary public
viewsheds.
A significant component of the land and natural resource management includes native wildlife habitat protection and enhancement. Large, contiguous areas of Piedmont hardwoods have been mapped and will continue to benefit from a comprehensive forest management plan. These vast acreages provide a wonderful and diverse habitat for plants, animals and
human recreation.
The streams, ponds and wetlands found at Bundoran Farm are valued, sensitive resources. In addition to providing water for agricultural and recreational activities at Bundoran Farm, the water courses lead to the Hardware River, the James River and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Ongoing water quality testing is underway to fully assess the positive impacts of the
development and natural resource management concepts being used.
Through a comprehensive and holistic analysis of the various preservation zones, areas generally appropriate for the placement of homesites start to emerge, typically along the seams of the pastures and forest.
After appropriate areas for homesites are identified outside of the preservation zones, the locations are further refined by walking the land. Key selection criteria for individual homesites include views, privacy, access and ease of building.
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