Eco Buffer Brooks

PROJECT

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Pace Solar is proposing to develop a solar field on a quarter section in Brooks. The quarter section borders a residential area to the east and acreages to the west.

In order to mitigate view concerns caused by the solar farm, we developed an eco buffer. Eco buffers are shelterbelts that incorporate a variety of native dominant trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in a narrow, dense configuration designed to mimic natural hedgerows. Eco buffers contain a greater variety of species than regular shelterbelts.They are filled with species of different heights and growth rates to create a layered texture and are planted at a greater density than shelterbelts to captures the site quickly, reducing the need for long-term weed control. Eco buffers provide superior habitat for wildlife including pollinators and are designed to not only mitigate the view of the solar field, but enhance the existing views long term. In addition we have designed walking/ jogging trail around the field, as well as a small interpretive center to share the educational components of a solar field.