find the irony in building a big house in the woods to enjoy the woods. can you?

Question

what is wrong with this picture?

Answer 1

I know what you mean!

But being surrounded by woods myself, there is plenty of views to enjoy, even if you build a good sized house there. As long as you place many many windows all throughout it so you can bring the outdoors in.

My ideal setting would be to have a two story home with enough bedrooms in a loft area for my children to come home to once they are grown.

A place rustic enough that you don't see all the manicured lawns and architextured placement of trees, but the wild growth of whatever nature brings cared for and nutured by a family that enjoys it's natural beauty. A place where when you open all the windows, you hear the breezes of trees, birds and wildlife scurrying.

Picture Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. they had a home with room for all.

The irony is we are all from nature, and yet, many who return to it, choose to wipe it out to create the 'Home of convenient privacy' that has nothing to do with living among the trees.

*after answering, I read the other answers and see their point of cutting down the trees to appreciate them.

No one knows how much I love the trees. The truth is, trees have a lifespan too. Many of the types of trees that surround me have a life expectancy of 45-55 years before they begin to rot from the inside and die out. Some of the most matured trees are surrounded by saplings just waiting to take over and or are already taking away nutrition from the larger trees reducing their lifespan and health. I have no problem cutting some trees to provide health for others.

WIldfires do this naturally everyday, thinning out the beautiful wooded areas, and many don't know ash is a wonderful way of fertilizing the grounds to promote healthy regrowth. Which is why many natural parks will allow a wildfire to be active without deterring it, until it comes too close to housing areas.

I am for building in the wooded areas, as long as you care for the woods you own. To buy it, build it, and destroy it seems a crime.

Luckily I have the top of my hill that is overgrown with brush, and the trees provide enough space between to be able to build without disturbing any of them.. And the one thing I will add eventually, which will clear many trees, but mostly saplings, is a pond, which will help the wildlife by providing another drinking spot, I can't wait to see how many families of animals enjoy the new addition to their wooded homes.

Answer 2

How about building a big wooden house in the woods, enjoying living in wood to enjoy the woods? Some wooden appreciation, huh.

Answer 3

Hmm do you know what the person who owns the woods are like? If it's government then they might give you a warning and they get rid of it and destroy it. But that most prob be the end of it or they might just say as long as you don't wreck the place to much. Depends on the people really. If it's owned by a local or something they could try to press charges for trespassing and vandalism.

Answer 4

I can see nothing with this picture. You can have a big house in the woods and enjoy the woods. Ben Law worked the woods, built his large home from the woods using sustainable building methods and materials. He is sympathetic to his surroundings takes only that what he needs.

It is not about the size of his house, it is about the size of his footprint. Which is tiny. When he no longer needs that house it will return to the land. Size only applies if you are using unsustainable resources to heat/cool/furnish ect. He adds more to the woods, where he also earns his living, than many people add to their environment. I see no irony. He has a big house in the woods to enjoy the woods.


http://vs2.i-dat.org/unstructured03/01.html

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/PP/Grand_Designs2.html

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/grand-designs/houses/S/sussex_woodman.html

EDIT: RE: Permaculture being used as a feel good solution.
Solutions should feel good. They should encourage everyone to move into a more sustainable lifestyle.

Permaculture is about design for living. If we replace large unsustainable houses for sustainable energy efficient wooden ones Great. We are not talking about deforestation here but a clearing in the woods. Even then trees grow back if planted, if we use Permaculture solutions, they will grow back with less trace. Compare this to the toxins left in brown field sites. Permaculture encourages the planting of mixed native woodlands around houses to act as shade, windbreaks etc and it is designed into the plan.

Answer 5

You destroy the woods to build the house with wood, to enjoy the woods. You destroy the environment, to enjoy it. The same people here do building houses at the beach, or at river nascents, river banks, wetlands, and other places that should be protected and preserved.

Answer 6

Nothing I live in such, as do many in my family and area. Its not our fault you live where you do, that's your choice. The trees removed to build our homes are insignificant. The majority of the natural forest is preserved to give us privacy, as well in the open areas we plant far more new trees than we cut down. I know this may surprise you but trees do die NATURALLY, and when they do, they MUST be cut, and either used or they rot. Further more the land around our homes then becomes much more important to us, because it IS around our homes. Selling timber is a good source of income, but you want cut down your front yard.

Answer 7

There is nothing wrong with that picture. If you work hard, make a ton of money, then you can purchase the land that you desire and do whatever you want to it-----

As long as it: Isn't a wetland, have an endangered microscopic animal living there, have some endangered weed rooting there, exceed local or county ordinances, .....

Answer 8

You've got to destroy a large portion of the woods to build the house.

I never really understood people that do that. Then, they complain and want to have bears and coyotes killed because they are hanging out in their yards killing their dogs and stuff. Come on, you come into their home and destroy it, and wonder why they are living in your back yard....

Answer 9

The perfect example of the abuse of the environment and "permaculture" being used by people as an insurance policy: a "feel good" solution to destroying the environment.

Irony ... good descriptive word, insanity ... more descriptive word.

Answer 10

I would like to build me a wood cabin on my land one day.Small open,easy to warm and cool.I have a design in my brain but its only a dream.....