DYNAMIC ELEMENTS CONSULTING

Create Natural Windbreaks and Firebreaks—Enhance your property's natural defense by installing fencing and evergreen trees while removing brush, dead wood, and understory, offering year-round protection from the harsh spring west winds and insulating your home against the cold north winter winds.

Prevent Soil Erosion and Restore Your Land—Minimize wet and dry erosion with strategic surface treatments of stones or mulch, water channel terracing, and bank stabilization. Rebuild your topsoil using organic inputs to support the health of existing or new plantings.

Optimize Storm Water Management—Utilize swales, stepped terracing, gravel wicks, and French drains to effectively manage storm water through shedding, detention, retention, and infiltration, making the most of this erratic yet valuable resource.

Enhance Beaver Habitats for Ecological Benefits—Set maximum beaver pond height with caged outflows, protect flood plains from heavy grazers which create bank erosion, and plant preferred forage near water. Mimic natural habitats with detention ponds, floodplain meanders, and flood water spreading. Use controlled fire to encourage Aspen growth around streams, creating fertile stepped meadows and supporting long-term beaver habitation.

Optimize Solar Gain and Seasonal Temperature Control—Determine the ideal size and overhang for south-facing windows, and plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your home for effective summer cooling. An evergreen canopy can protect fruit and crops from extreme heat and spring frost. 

Use direct mass heating systems to transfer heat hydronically from a boiler or solar array to your insulated mass for elegant temperature regulation.

Support the Nitrogen Cycle for Sustainable Growth—Treat and reuse grey, black, and yellow water in the surrounding landscape to enrich the soil. Incorporate nitrogen-fixing trees, shrubs, and annuals to naturally enhance growth and reduce the need for additional inputs. David's Master's thesis focused on just this practice— read about his research and conclusions here.