Hunt Companies Inc

EL PASO, TX - (August 23, 2006)

Hunt Communities and HBC Land, both affiliate companies of Hunt Building Corporation, have launched an effort with naturalists, community groups, and a neighborhood association to salvage and transport plant wildlife at Resler Ridge in advance of coming development.

Representatives for Hunt Communities and HBC Land, along with the other groups, have spent the last several weeks scouring the future Resler Ridge community development area in search of rare and unique cacti and other plants for the purpose of preservation.

Tammy Bendele, Ph.D., Office Director and Senior Horticulturalist of Sites Southwest, assisted Hunt in organizing the preservation efforts within the area. “This endeavor marks Hunt’s commitment to preserving and protecting our fragile desert ecosystem and demonstrates their understanding of the importance of our native vegetation,” said Bendele. She added, “Everyone involved was so excited to take part in this preservation attempt and were appreciative about the opportunity Hunt provided the community.”

Hunt’s Resler Ridge development project will have 45 single-family lots overlooking the Wakeem-Teschner Nature Preserve of Resler Canyon, formally known as the Resler Canyon Arroyo. The company said it plans to look at appropriate preservation efforts for future developments, as well as including community groups and neighborhood associations for assistance and involvement.

Doug Wright, president of Hunt Communities, and Gary Sapp, president of HBC Land, both said the plant salvage program is part of Hunt’s overall commitment to a “smart growth” strategy for its developments. “This is just one small component of a smart growth plan,” said Sapp. “What that means, essentially, is a pre-development consideration of the land and preserving or enhancing as much of its natural state as possible.” Wright added, “It can’t be done for every development, but for the Resler Canyon Arroyo, it is the right way to fit nature and residential development together.”

Other local groups involved in this effort were: Texas Master Naturalists, Texas Master Gardeners, Frontera Land Alliance, and Coronado Neighborhood Association.

To date, plants salvaged from the canyon include ocotillo and many other cactus species. Some of the recovered plants were saved to be returned to the site once construction of the homes is completed. Others were taken by individuals and groups to be planted throughout the surrounding neighborhoods.

Hunt Communities is an affiliate of Hunt Building Corporation. Founded in 1947, Hunt Building Corporation and its affiliated companies provide a full range of development, design, construction, investment, and asset/property management services. The companies have been headquartered in El Paso and operated by the Hunt family for four generations. Other Hunt affiliated companies are HBC Land, Hunt Building Company, Hunt ELP, HBC Property Managers, and Hunt NR.


CONTACT:
Doug Wright
President
Hunt Communities, LLC
(915) 533-7900