What is Lorax Woodlands?
“Lorax Woodlands” is a small residential community of eight households located in the rolling hills near the community of Black River in Kings County, Nova Scotia, ten minutes from Wolfville. We are registered in Nova Scotia as a for-profit Corporation governed by a Board of Directors consisting of two members from each household.
Our land, originally a 200-acre farm dating back to the mid 1700’s, was purchased in 1999 by Lorax Woodlands. Approximately 30 acres of cleared land was divided into eight lots, and the surrounding 170 acres of woodland became commonly owned land for recreation, forest conservation and education.
The woodland is part of the Acadian forest, with a mix of hardwood and softwood species, an abundance of wildlife, including beaver ponds, a marsh and two streams that flow into Lumsden Lake. It is the intention of Lorax Woodlands that the commonly held land woodlands be preserved in perpetuity, using only sustainable forest management and other ecologically sound land-use practices, with the goal of increasing the indigenous biodiversity of the land and its natural resources over time. We are proud of what we have created over the past twenty years and we want our community to be a model for others.
Our name, Lorax Woodlands, is inspired by Dr. Seuss’ story, The Lorax, which tells of a place destroyed by greedy people cutting down all the trees to make things no one really needed. The Lorax character is the only voice of wisdom determined to protect the creatures and the forest. The Lorax expresses our desire to appreciate our surroundings, to live cooperatively with nature and our neighbours, and, in a small way, make a difference by living in a more sustainable manner.
Who We Are
There are eight separate households at Lorax Woodlands, each household owning its own lot of several acres. We have each designed and built our homes to suit our individual requirements and to be environmentally responsible. We have a shareholder agreement that sets the covenants for the individual lots and governs the use and management of the commonly held lands. At our quarterly held meetings of the corporation, our decisions are made by consensus. We mostly, leave the woodland to manage itself, and we enhance this by planting seedlings, doing some selective cutting for firewood, and maintaining a network of trails for walking and skiing. Our bylaws prohibit any hunting or use of motorized vehicles.
Our regular, informal interactions throughout the year as neighbours make Lorax a vibrant place to live. We get together weekly for supper, with households taking turns hosting. It is a great way to stay connected. On an ad hoc basis, we get together to work on projects, celebrate together and share ideas. As a group we range in ages from children to seniors, with an eclectic mix of occupations and interests (gardening, music, art, theatre, cycling, cross-country skiing, golfing, woodworking, winemaking etc.) Some members of Lorax grow a bounty of delicious produce on their land.
The Lorax community embodies the principles of co-housing communities in Canada and around the world. We share in the ideal of community building, where we all feel accepted, respected and are able to support each other as good neighbours, while sharing responsibility for our communal land. Over the years, we have been able to continue to preserve and restore the land to its original beauty.