Sackville forestry group building 'cabin of the future'

A forestry group in Sackville, N.B., is building an environmentally-friendly cabin to attract local innovators.

Community Forests International held a design competition to design "the cabin of the future," a small, environmentally friendly building that could house people working on new ideas.

The contest attracted entries from around the world.

We'll be able to travel into the woods with it anddrop it down in place without harming a twig.- Daimen Hardy, Community Forests International

"We had entries come in from Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York, Poland, you name it," said Daimen Hardy, the group's program director.

The winning entry, the Whaelghinbran Nomadic Cabin, was designed and submitted by Nathan Fisher of Toronto.

The cabin is bigger than a shed, but smaller than a one-car garage.

And it's portable.

The cabin will be placed on adjustable car jacks, allowing it to be easily levelled or moved.

"We can build it here at our office, and then transport it into the woods where it will ultimately be stationed, and have virtually zero impact on the building site itself," said Hardy.

"We keep all the mess and all the traffic out here behind our office and then we'll be able to travel intothe woods with it anddrop it down in place without harming a twig."

With the winning plans in hand, Hardy wanted to buy locally, but he also wanted to stay away from lumber that came from large-scale clear cuts. He says that was difficult,despite the large amount of wood New Brunswick produces.

"We had a lot of trouble finding it here in New Brunswick so we actually had to go to a mill in Nova Scotia," said Hardy.

The most exciting part isn't the cabin, but who it will attract, says communications director Zach Melanson.

He says Community Forests International will come up with variouschallenges and then invite innovators to come in and spend time at the cabin, looking for solutions.

"We'll be putting out calls to energy, electrical technicians, and things like that and saying this is a problem, this is a challenge, and then hopefully this could be a game changer for rural New Brunswick," said Melanson.

The group says it's waiting on materials, but hopes to have the cabin done by the end of the month.