CanaanDownsCollective

BusinessPlan
AStrategyForHolisticLandGuardianship 20112014

Canaan Downs Collective PO Box 278 Takaka Golden Bay Phone: 035256025

Canaan Downs Collective; Business Plan, 2011

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Table of Contents
1 Summary............................................................................................ 3 2 Introduction ....................................................................................... 4 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Vision Statement.............................................................................. 4 Location ........................................................................................... 4 Ethics ............................................................................................... 4 Aims and Objectives ........................................................................ 5 Venue Hire ....................................................................................... 6 Grazing Fees ................................................................................... 6 Funding for Environmental Projects................................................. 6 Park & Pay Camping........................................................................ 6 Other Opportunities.......................................................................... 6 Strategic Approach .......................................................................... 7 Strategic Alliances ........................................................................... 7 Management Structure .................................................................... 8 Advisors & Associates ..................................................................... 9

3 Income Streams & Opportunities .................................................... 6

4 Strategy and Management ............................................................... 7

5 Timeframe........................................................................................ 10 5.1 Year 1: August 2011- 2012 ............................................................ 10 5.2 Year 2-3: August 2012- 2014......................................................... 10 6 Financial Budgets and Forecasts.................................................. 11 6.1 Notes to Financial Projections ....................................................... 11 6.2 Cashflow Forecast ......................................................................... 12 6.3 Projected Financial Performance................................................... 13 Appendix A Caanan Downs Location Map 14

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Summary

Canaan Downs is a unique property; 200 acres of native bush, pasture and camping reserve situated at the summit of the Takaka Hill, between Motueka and Takaka in the Tasman District (top of the South Island). An iconic festival venue, this land is also significant because of the unique flora and fauna found in the bushland areas. Local council, community and environmental groups recognise the importance of preserving these features. This Business Plan has been prepared by key members of the newly forming Canaan Downs Collective (CDC), who have come together to ensure the continuity of Canaan Downs as a community venue and environmental sanctuary, managed according to sustainable principles and upholding a strong spiritual and educational focus. The current owner of the land is Canaan Downs Enterprises Ltd (CDE), a consortium of twenty-eight shareholders, of which several have indicated their desire to sell. This has prompted the formation of CDC, a group of committed existing CDE shareholders who are actively seeking investors to buy into an enhanced vision and future for Canaan Downs that aligns the growth and development of the land with sound ecological, community and educational values. Key facets of this vision are: sound and sustainable financial and environmental management of the land; community accessibility for festivals and events; active regeneration of native flora and fauna; and, provision of a food production capability on the land. This vision underpins the aims that CDC intend for Canaan Downs. These include establishing infrastructure to support smooth management of large and small events; more effective management of stock grazing on the land to minimise impact on native forest; plantings of native trees and other plant species to re-establish biodiversity; and, the introduction of fruit and nut trees onto existing pasture-land to provide shade and encourage a degree of food self-reliance for public events. The CDC have formulated a set of ethics to guide the activities of the Collective. Central to the success of this venture is that projects undertaken on the land must benefit the land itself (not simply be for personal gain), be sustainable and take into account longterm environmental impact. Land management practices must be aligned with organic permaculture principles. Land use is intended for community groups and activities, not for individual housing enterprise. Administration of CDC is carried out with transparency on all levels, including cost-effective financial management and a philosophy of participative decision-making. In preparing a plan for the next three years, potential and existing income streams have been examined. These include, venue hire, grazing fees, and park-and-pay camping. Funding for environmental projects is a source of revenue earmarked to assist in regeneration of the land. The intention of the Collective is to form a core group of founding directors whose role over the next three years will be to establish a sound foundation for Canaan Downs and settle in the new ownership and management structure. All shareholders are welcome to take part in helping manifest the collective vision. Strategic alliances in the local
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community will support this approach. These include local community groups, the Tasman District Council (TDC), Department of Conservation (DOC), as well as H.A.N.D.S. (community currency network), and Luminate Festival Trust (LFT) who have, for the last 5 years, run the Luminate Festival on the Canaan Downs site. The approach will be to concentrate on landcare projects in Year 1 whilst encouraging more low impact, public use of the land. A priority is to mitigate damage to native bush resulting from the impact of sheep grazing activities. Relocation of a cottage to the land and installing a caretaker can take place in Year 1. Some campsite infrastructure improvements will be carried out. Years 2 and 3 will aim to consolidate revenue generation through increased land use with a view to generating sufficient revenue to cover operating costs and support projects on the property. Native forest regeneration is to continue as will infrastructure upgrade, including cottage renovations. The financial forecasts for this three-year period indicate that main revenue streams are from Luminate Festival, sheep grazing fees, funding for environmental projects and eventually other festival events and camping fees. These forecasts predict that by Year 3, CDC will be financially stable, generating sufficient revenue to cover operating costs, and have sufficient reserves to reinvest in growth and development and potentially offer a return in dividends to shareholders.

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