Although Troutman had a team of environmental researchers work for five years on the proposed development before Simpson began working for him, Simpson expressed the fact that Robert Troutman was himself interested in the preservation of this land for his own personal fondness of the environment.

Betty remembers a Robert Troutman who cared deeply for the land, and who was

"ahead of his time" in making the preservation of the environment an integral part of the planned Estuaries community.