THF has many commendable attributes, and being "green" is just one of them! THF is aware of the environmental responsibilities that go hand in hand with development. From ensuring the integrity of young eagles' surroundings to salvaging building materials to providing wetlands for wildlife, THF is cognizant of the importance of being environmentally responsible. The mission, while moving millions of cubic yards of dirt, building miles of roadways, installing water lines, and building the best census in America, is to also preserve the environment which surrounds THF's developments.

Preserving the environment takes on many faces. THF has numerous projects nationwide that have been successful in protecting the surrounding habitat so wildlife can flourish. One example is the Prairie Center development in Colorado. This project took the unprecedented cooperation and commitment of THF and a variety of local environmentalists to ensure the integrity of young bald eagles' surroundings related to this 1,760-acre development. The happy outcome of this story, THF is proud to announce the birth of a pair of eagles.

And now, for the rest of the story! THF has retained Denver wildlife specialists to find suitable locations for a prairie dog colony in and around this development. The study aims to learn more about sustaining the eagle population by maintaining a habitat for prairie dogs, a prime food source for bald eagles.

THF's story also includes going that extra step in extensive landscaping/construction planned specifically around the ecological needs of wildlife and the environment. Greengate Center in Pennsylvania involved coordination with the PA Department of Environmental Protection to determine an acceptable new road route. The new boulevard needed to cross a tributary to Turtle Creek which contained wetland ponds, which are traditionally lowland areas, such as marshes or swamps that are saturated with moisture, and normally regarded as natural habitat for wildlife. An acceptable route was planned for the boulevard while still preserving these wetlands.

Chippewa Towne Center required an engineered stream crossing and a 0.50 acre on-site mitigation area was created to replace the 0.20 acre of wetlands removed during construction. The mitigation area was planted with select vegetation and hydrated by a series of permanent drainage swales.

For Rock River Plaza, Illinois, THF agreed to design, create and manage 70 acres of wetlands directly behind and adjacent to the shopping center. These wetlands have been monitored and managed by THF to ensure the success of the project with respect to the animal habitat and water management.

At Chesterfield Commons, the 3-time winner of Chesterfield's Beautification Award, varieties of perennials and wildflowers were chosen to provide seed for songbirds. Retention ponds which hold water, as opposed to detention ponds which drain, were created as a year-round haven for wildlife and water fowl. Native grasses surrounding these retention ponds create cover for rabbits and quail. At both Chesterfield Commons and Wentzville Crossing, tree varieties were chosen to be buffers for plantings and provide protection for birds from predators and winter extremes. And surprisingly, there are more trees now at both of these sites than before they were developed, minimizing the reflection from the parking lots.

Near Red Oak Plaza in Columbia, Missouri, THF is taking great measure to protect Stephens Lake Park and planning improvements for Hinkson Creek. This project will beautify and stabilize a section of the bank of Hinkson Creek and will involve the planting of about 1,000 mature trees, 4,000 younger trees, and 1,500 native shrubs.

At Grindstone Plaza and Fairview Market Place, also in Columbia, Missouri, THF will be installing filters on storm sewers to trap oils and chemicals from run-off on parking lots. These forty filters will keep pollutants from reaching Hinkson Creek. In addition, at Grindstone Plaza, 3 arch culverts and retaining walls were installed to preserve the stream rather than filling it in and using storm water pipes.

THF donated 44 acres to the City of South Charleston, Pennsylvania, in order to preserve the Trace Fork Watershed which is adjacent to the Trace Fork shopping center. In order to protect the land from any future development, THF granted a conservation easement to the city which restricts any development on the property which is owned by THF. This property could have been developed by THF, but, instead, was set aside for recreation use only. Today the conservation easement is enjoyed by hikers and bicyclists who frequent the paths that follow the stream bed.

THF is also changing the notion that the demolition of buildings can only mean trash and disposal. THF has teamed with Habitat for St. Louis to salvage building materials on 32 acres of land that were cleared for the $80 million Maplewood Commons. This site was previously home to numerous commercial and residential structures that were demolished. Habitat resold the salvageable materials - such as wood doors, knobs, cabinets, aluminum siding and copper pipe, at its ReStore. ReStore provides recycled building materials at discounted prices to support its mission of building homes in partnership with low-income families. "THF's initiative in offering this salvage opportunity helps our programs and promotes responsible stewardship of natural resources by diverting useful building material from landfills," said Kathleen Schweitzer, Habitat's ReStore Director.

In addition to recycling materials, THF has put into place several "green" construction systems. White roofs in many of their properties reflect heat and reduce cooling, especially in southerly climates. Skylights are also installed where possible to reduce the amount of electricity needed for lighting systems during the day.

At Kimberly Commons, Iowa, THF has begun using a thicker glass which provides greater insulation. In the future, THF will continue to evaluate the environmental and economic impact of various types of systems - roof color, glass thickness, skylights, on a project-by-project basis.

THF understands the importance of ensuring the commercial success of a development. However, THF also understands the importance of contributing to the environmental success surrounding their developments, whether it is protecting the habitat, conserving natural resources or maintaining the integrity of the area. So among THF's many qualities, you may add, they are also into "green."

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