Environmental Impact Study

In order to get approval for the project, an Environmental Impact Study had to be completed. Jim and Jay contracted with a Panamanian woman to complete the study and to document the process. She brought in experts in various fields to determine how our project would effect the area. Jim worked with the Panamanian architect to document the design of the cabanas and the main lodge building. Jay worked on the specifications of each of the infrastructure systems: water, septic and power. Stefanie and I were consulted on the aesthetics and also asked to send money.

The Environmental Impact Study is several hundred pages long. It includes information on all of the native habitat - plants, trees, birds and animals. A sociologist comes in to ask all of our neighbors about us and how they feel about the project. It includes designs and descriptions of all the buildings and all of the infrastructure systems. And by the way - the whole thing is completed in Spanish.

It takes much of 2000 to prepare the Environmental Impact Study for submission to the government. We decided early on that we wanted to do everything as by the book as possible. In Latin America it is sometimes difficult to do things by the book because the requirements are constantly changing.

We were naïve. We thought that Stefanie and I might be able to move down to a somewhat completed project within two years from once we started. Our learning process begins here. Once you think you have an idea how long something will take to complete in Latin America, double or triple that timeframe and then add on extra time as well in order to cover any complications. The things that make construction and ultimately operations a bit of a challenge are the things that make Panama and for that matter, most of Latin America, a great place to vacation - no one is concerned about time here. Time passes - there is no rapid fire pace as we are used to dealing with in the United States.

We were looking for a change in lifestyle. We found it.