Azura: A Development with Nature in Mind

The Pacific Coast of Panama is developing so quickly that we rarely stop to think about how it is developing. On the top list of reasons to move to the Pacific coast is the natural life and beauty that still exists here. As development begins to trickle down both the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines we have to ask what will be forever changed and what will be preserved? One of the realities of development is that for the most part you cannot construct without clearing land and removing nature. There is one new developer on Panama’s coast that is keenly aware of what development does to the natural landscape, and is creating a housing project with nature in mind. To learn more about the project, I contacted Kevin Painter, an award winning nature photographer and developer of Azura.   I met with Kevin at his site in the village of Rodeo Viejo. When I walked into his office, there were a series of outstanding photographs of native butterflies on the walls.

“I was building in Sarasota Florida, where we were digging out a site. We had the digger come in to take down some trees, one of which was a Lantana bush. Well, about 50 butterflies flew out of it. On the way home that day, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The next day I told my wife we were going to buy 50 Lantanas. And populate the development with it.”

Kevin’s passion for butterflies started that day. He went on to learn everything he could about butterflies and what attracts them.

“I continued planting native plants in our yard that would attract butterflies. Eventually our yard was full of butterflies.”

Kevin told us that in Panama, there are over 1860 species and subspecies of butterflies. Butterflies are virtually everywhere throughout Panama. “You just have to be observant. By planting native plants such as Lantanas and milkweeds anyone can attract butterflies to their gardens in Panama”.

Having bred almost 20 different species of butterflies, Kevin knows what plants attract which butterflies. Butterflies are very specific about where they lay eggs. If the caterpillar isn’t born on the right leaf, it will die of starvation.

Azura, Kevin’s development in Rodeo Viejo will be littered with plants that attract butterflies native to Panama. New residents will be offered butterfly plants free of charge.

Working with experts, Kevin is also creating a canopy over the development that will allow more plants to grow underneath to attract more butterflies and also birds.

Azura will eventually boast a variety of fruiting trees including oranges, lemons, papayas and mangos for residents to enjoy.

I looked out the large bay window from Kevin’s office overlooking the development and envisioned the lush tropical landscape that would soon be Azura. I couldn’t help but ask what it looked like before.

Kevin described the land as “scrubland”, or an area with an assortment of vegetation dominated by small shrubs. By the time Azura is complete it will actually have more native trees and plants then the land had originally produced.

“Our landscaping has been well thought-out, by working with experts we can predict that the area will attract more birds and butterflies than it did before we got here.”

Once completed Azura will feature 51 homes, ranging from 1900 2ft – 3160 sq ft, a social area, clubhouse and large swimming pool in the common area. The development will also feature several green spaces, greenhouses, a guarded gate with 24/7 video surveillance and developed roads. All cabling at Azura will be underground.

On February 22, Azura will host their grand opening and a walk through of their first completed model home, The Anton. This event will be open to the public from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Stop by for a glimpse of what is to come at the Azura development, and see the work in progress on the Anton model home that is available for $235k.

For further details about the Azura project, visit www.azurapanama.com